Regret
by Code LJ
Summary: What happens 5 years after GI Joe is disbanded that starts at a reunion of old friends and former lovers. Suggestive material makes this a "M" rating.  The usual disclaimers apply.
1. Chapter 1

She gulped when she saw him. She knew it wasn't smart for her to be here, but she couldn't stay away. He probably wouldn't understand that. Hell, he might not even care. From what she heard, he had found someone and married her. She couldn't blame him. He couldn't wait around for her forever.

She sighed. She had tried to brace herself for this reunion, and had even debated coming. They were her friends as much as his! She wondered if he had brought his wife, and how different she was from herself. She shook her head, banishing the thoughts she shouldn't be thinking.

She had never been able to find someone like him, someone to replace him, in her heart. Nothing had compared to what she had felt for him, so all her relationships since him had been short lived and frankly, meaningless.

She truly did wish the best for him. If he was happy, that was great. Who was she to wish him unhappiness? She wondered if they had started a family, or even thought about it. She recalled nights when they had laid awake, talking about the days after GI Joe would be over, when their mission would finally be finished, and they could live a "normal" life.

She almost laughed aloud. When would her life ever be classified as normal? she thought bitterly. He certainly couldn't handle it. I'm sure he's found someone "normal" to love, she thought sarcastically. He certainly couldn't handle anyone who wasn't!

He hadn't noticed her yet. She wondered if she should cross the room, talk to him. She would have to act like she wasn't dying inside. Isn't that why she had won awards for acting? She could do it. Did she really want to, though? He was the one who had walked out on her, who had made the decision that the two of them weren't worth it. Maybe if she ignored him, it would be best for everyone. She hoped there wasn't the awkwardness that came with old friends when two former lovers were present in the same room.

She embraced Shana and smiled over the latest photos of her kids. She had kept in touch with most of her old friends, so catching up wasn't too long and involved. She mingled and worked her way through the room, steadily avoiding traveling in his direction. Let him think she didn't care!

He watched her, unable to take his eyes off of her. Walking away from her had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life, he knew, but what choice did he have? All they ever did at the end was argue about everything! They were just too different, and had come from two different worlds. Once GI Joe was over, what did they have in common? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She was a former socialite who had rubbed elbows with royalty. Of course she would go back to that kind of life, he was sure, and it was a place he wasn't comfortable in.

He had sometimes found himself at the supermarket picking up one of the celebrity magazines and looking for her in it. He had heard she had acted in a few Broadway productions, as well as in London, to critical acclaim. It was even rumored she had won a Tony, but he wasn't sure. Either way, he was sure her life was much happier without him in it.

He was happy. He was. He had fallen in love with someone who was more like him, and they lived in a house in the suburbs. He was in urban development and enjoyed his job. Just because he didn't love his wife with the all consuming passion he had once felt for HER, well, that didn't matter. He was content. He DID love his wife, he told himself angrily. Everyone said what a great couple they were!

He chatted with his old buddies and caught up with what they had been doing. Some he had kept in touch with through email and phone calls. Others, he hadn't seen for awhile and it was nice to hear that they had been successful with what they had been doing.

He didn't want to go to her side of the room. He realized, even as he thought it, he had mentally divided the room between them. He shook his head, disgusted. He was happy. She obviously was, too. It had been a smart decision, a necessary decision. What was the harm in saying hello to her?


	2. Chapter 2

"So, I hear they're looking for former Joes to head up this new mission force," Marvin "Roadblock" was saying to her. "Have you been contacted?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I have to admit, I miss it," she smiled. "Mostly, I miss the team, and working with everyone, but yeah, I've thought about it. What are you going to do?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I feel like I'm getting too old for this…wondered if they wanted us for training the younger crowd, or they actually want us to run around," he chuckled.

She smiled. "You're not that old, Marvin! It's only been five years since GI Joe was disbanded."

He nodded. "You're right. So, I hear you've been doing some acting…something about a Tony?"

She shrugged. "Something like that. Competition wasn't big that year. Enough about me. How's the restaurant doing? Last time I was in, you had to wait, what, an hour to get a table?" she teased him.

He chuckled, remembering. "Yeah, I like how you put on the high horse and demanded to see the chef. That was pretty good! You had the wait staff shaking in their shoes. They thought you were a food critic about to blow me sky high! I had to keep reassuring them you were a friend!"

He sobered up, glancing over her shoulder. "Have you talked to him?" he asked, knowing he didn't have to elaborate.

Her smile faded. "No. Not sure I'm going to. It doesn't really matter, does it? I heard he's moved on."

Marvin nodded his head slowly. "I heard that, too. We were keeping in touch, but things got so busy once the restaurant took off….I got an invite to the wedding, but I couldn't go. I hear she's nice," he said, feeling guilty.

She patted his arm. "Don't worry about it. It's past history, right?"

"Well, prepare to face your past, then, girl. He's coming this way."

She cursed, making Marvin laugh. "I like that you do that. Never knew anyone who could curse in so many languages. Always sounded so classy."

Realization dawned on her. "He hasn't been asked…I mean…for the new team?"

Marvin shrugged. "I don't know, but in about 30 seconds, you can ask him yourself."

She knew he was standing behind her even before Marvin said anything. She could still feel his presence, as if time had never separated them. Why did she still have to feel this way? she thought sadly.

"Allie," he said, his voice low.

She turned, pasting a polite smile on her face.

"Nice to see you, Dash," she lied, wondering how long she'd have to make small talk before escaping. It was painful enough facing him, knowing he was able to get over her, when she couldn't get over him.

Was everyone watching them? She knew they probably weren't, but she still felt self-conscious. Why did he have to make the first move? Why couldn't he have stayed on his side of the room?

After a moment of silence, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "So, how's your wife? Family?"

He look startled for a moment, surprised she knew, but then realized people must have brought her up to date tonight with his life.

"Fine," he answered. "Working in urban development now," he said lamely, looking for something to talk to her about.

She nodded politely. "I can see that," she said, giving another polite smile. "You always have to be planning something."

He smiled back at her. "Well, it's not as interesting as military strategy, but sometimes just as dangerous," he joked. "The guys at City Hall can be pretty fierce."

She wanted to lean into him and have him wrap his arms around her, to push him against the wall and…she realized the direction of her thoughts and squelched them. That was past history and she obviously was the only one feeling the attraction. Plus, he was married, so he obviously had moved on, both physically and emotionally.

She reverted back to an excuse she used in social situations when she wanted to escape. She was sure he saw right through it, but it allowed her out of an awkward situation.

Stepping outside, she took a deep breath and leaned against the back wall of the hotel where the reunion was being held. She wished she smoked because even though she never had, she figured now was a good a time as any for a cigarette. She needed something to steady her nerves.

She looked up at the sky and wished for the pure, unpolluted sky of her home in Scotland. She had spent most of her time there with her family, making occasional trips to New York and London when she couldn't get out of an engagement. In essence, she was hiding, she knew, but at least it was among family and friends.

"I didn't mean to upset you," his voice echoed in the dark alley. She turned and saw his shadow emerge from the same doorway she had escaped through earlier.

"You didn't, not really," she lied. "It was just getting too hot in there." She realized what she said, and blushed. Fortunately in the darkness, she didn't think he noticed.

He watched her blush and remembered her doing that a lot early on in their relationship. He had always loved to make her do that, loving the way it made her seem vulnerable. She had such a tough exterior that it was nice to see that side to her.

He wondered why she was blushing now. Surely he had killed any attraction or love she had for him in the past when he had walked away. He wanted to go to her now, tangle his fingers in her hair, which he noticed she had let grow out, and just hold her. Of all the things they had done, he would never had thought he would miss the simple act of just holding her the most.

She wrapped her arms around herself in a defensive move. She wanted him to come to her, like he used to, and kiss her. Stupid, she berated herself, he's married now. You really want to be the one to break up a marriage? Who says he's interested anyway!

"Listen, I…" they both began at the same time, and stopped. Both laughed nervously.

"You first," he told her, but she shook her head.

"Go ahead."

He shook his head, giving a small smile. "It wasn't that important. I'd rather listen to you talk." He realized how stupid that sounded as soon as he said it.

She looked at him, her brow wrinkled, like she did when something confused her.

He swore, then grabbed at her. Pushing her up against the wall, he pressed into her, taking her mouth roughly, years of frustration melting into the kiss.

She was shocked at first, but her response was overwhelming and she realized she was kissing him back, grabbing at him so he would hold her closer. For five years, she had been denied this! She would take as much as she could tonight.

The thought filtered in her head that he was married, and she forced herself to turn her head, breaking the kiss.

"We can't," she whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek.

He caught it on his finger, upset he had made her cry.

She looked up at him. "You're married. You've moved on, and you love someone else. There's no room for me in your life anymore," she told him sadly, unable to stop the tears from flowing.

He cursed, slamming his fist against the concrete wall. "I know," he growled. "If I could turn back the clock five years, believe me, I would!"

"Do you love her?" she whispered.

"Yeah, I do," he told her, lifting her chin with his finger, "but not as much as I still love you."

"You chose her," she reminded him, her tone full of the hurt she felt inside.

He gave a bitter laugh. "I figured you were happy and settled by now. There was no place for me in your world! You and I both know that."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with hurt and anger. "But you never asked, did you?" she accused him. "You automatically assumed what I wanted, the life I wanted to live, and since you didn't want that, you left. You didn't even have the guts to say goodbye to me in person. Everything we had, everything we went through, and you said goodbye in a note!"

"What I wanted," she continued, tears streaming down her face again, "was to be with you, but you couldn't handle that. You kept trying to put me in this box you created for me, never asking me what I wanted to do, what I wanted for **us** to do!"

She pushed away from him and began walking down the alley, but then stopped to turn and look at him.

"You can't go back in time and change things. You've made your choices and now you have your own responsibilities that don't involve me. Don't make me a party to something you'll regret doing! As much as I still love you, I refuse to be the reason a marriage is dissolved. If you're not happy, then let her know. Don't come looking to me for something you're not sure you want."

She turned and kept walking, even though her heart kept screaming at her to run back to him, to jump into his arms and spend at least one more night together. No, it was better to leave it like this. He needed to go back to his wife, his job, and his life in the suburbs. He had no place for her in his ordered, conservative little life.

He watched her walk away and felt his heart twist. He had no one to blame but himself. She was right. He had assumed she would want the life she had once had, before GI Joe. He had fit her in that little box and found it had no room for him. He had never asked her what she wanted. Instead, he had taken the coward's way out, walking away before she threw him over for someone more her equal.

He cursed, and realized he needed a stiff drink. Maybe several. Turning, he headed back into the hotel to say goodbye to his friends, and head for the nearest bar.


	3. Chapter 3

The call came in the middle of the night. There had been an accident, the voice told her. He was sorry, but she would need to come right away.

She dressed quickly, now wide awake with fear and worry. Had she lost him for good? The call had been cryptic, but she never knew a 3am call to be good news, even in her line of work.

He had wanted to go the reunion by himself. She had known why. Before they were married, he had told her everything about his past life, including HER. While she knew her husband loved her, she always knew that HER shadow always lurked in the background. At the beginning, she hadn't cared. He was such a loving, caring, considerate husband who doted on her. Everyone loved him – her family, his coworkers, her friends. Everyone commented on how well he treated her, how devoted he was to her. She alone knew the truth. She was just a shadow compared to his one great love.

At least he had been honest with her. He had given her an out before they were married, confessing he could never love her as much as he should, as much as she deserved, but she hadn't cared. She had foolishly thought she could cure the broken pieces of his heart.

He was happy, she was sure of that. There were times when he would fall into a sort of melancholy state, and she knew he was thinking about HER. It never lasted long, though, and he always came back to her, his wife.

She wondered if this time, it would be different.

She made it to the hospital in record time. Once she identified herself, she was ushered into the temporary ER room he had been assigned.

His eyes were closed when she first saw him, and she wondered if he was unconscious. As she shut the curtain, his eyes opened, and she breathed a sigh of relief. He looked pretty beaten up, scratches and bruises on his arms and face.

"Baby? Are you okay?" she whispered.

In response, he took a deep breath and said, unexpectantly, "I'm sorry."

She walked over and squeezed his hand gently. "What are you sorry for, darling?"

She was afraid she knew.

He closed his eyes, praying for strength. He opened them again.

"I had a few drinks, then got in the car, thinking I was okay, that I had something in my stomach…."

She gasped, surprised. He of all people knew never to drive drunk.

"You know that's an old wife's tale," she told him, frowning. "Are they charging you with anything?"

He smiled wryly. "That's the thing. Ironically, I was hit by a drunk driver as I was pulling away from the bar. He came speeding around the corner and the cops tell me there was no time for me to react."

"But are they going to charge you with anything?" she asked again, wondering if they did, what her friends and family would say. Could he lose his job over this?

He sighed. "I don't know. They said they need to review it before a judge. The fact that I was actually behind the wheel, but hadn't started the car…."

She frowned. "But you said you were pulling away…Which is it?" she asked, her voice sharp.

He looked surprised at her tone.

"I can't really remember. They think I might have a concussion." He sounded confused.

She sighed. "Is this because you saw HER at your little reunion? You could've called me, you know. I would've picked you up."

He closed his eyes again. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Which I take as a yes," she snapped at him. She realized what her tone sounded like, and she deliberately softened it when she next spoke. "I thought with a concussion you weren't supposed to sleep?"

He opened his eyes. "I'm not sure. That could be an old wife's tale as well," he told her in a small attempt at humor.

She sighed again, looking around for a chair. She found a stool and pulled it over to his bedside, sitting down.

"We need to talk about the possible charges," she told him.

He looked over at her. "Now? They haven't charged me for anything. The cop said he'd be by later. You can do your lawyer routine with him."

"I'm serious!" she told him. "We need to make sure we get your story straight. Were there any witnesses? The judge will look for consistency with your story. Did you take a breathalyzer, or do they just have your word for it that you had a few drinks?"

At that moment, a nurse came in, and she clammed up, not wanting to discuss the case in front of her. She got up and decided to go to the nurse's station and ask to see his chart. If nothing else, she could do her job as a lawyer if she couldn't support him as a wife.

Allie watched her stride over the nurse's station and ask in an imperious voice to see her husband's chart. She had heard about the accident from Marvin, who had called her after it happened, having been at the same bar with Dash. He had also been the one to call 911. He had told Allie that he had been in the process of convincing Dash to get out of the car, to let him call a cab, when the car had come out of nowhere and hit the driver's side of his car.

She watched the pretty blonde look over the chart, then ask if the officer who had accompanied her husband was there. She went marching off to find him in the direction the nurses pointed. They rolled their eyes after her, muttering something about lawyers.

Allie went back to the waiting room where Marvin was waiting.

"His wife is here," she told him. "We can probably go."

He looked up, rubbing his eyes. "I never meant for it to happen, Allie, I swear."

She looked at him, concerned. "Nothing that happened was your fault. If you hadn't been there, who knows what would have happened if he had driven home!"

He sighed. "I told the cop who was here what happened. I don't know if he'll be charged with anything, since he technically wasn't driving, although the key was in the ignition. He's lucky he wasn't hurt worse," he said wearily.

She gave him a hug. "You can't blame yourself, big guy. Dash is an adult and is perfectly capable of making adult decisions. You did your part, gave your statement to the cop. You probably need to head on home. Your own wife is probably worried about you."

He smiled at her. "Where are you going tonight? Do you have someplace to stay?"

She smiled back at him. "Of course! Where is there not a Hart hotel?"

He frowned at her. "That's not really an answer. Give me a call tomorrow, okay? I'd like to meet for coffee, or something."

She nodded at her friend, putting his number in her cell as he gave it to her. She in turn gave him hers.

"Aren't you leaving now, too?" he asked her, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I just want to make sure everything's okay, and then I'm leaving. Promise," she told him. "I'm like, five minutes behind you."

Marvin shook his head. "Don't stay here all night. I know I can tell you he's married, but I don't think it'll change your feelings for him."

She gave him a look. "You're right. He's married, and far be it from me to break up a happy marriage."

He sighed, patted her on the head, and warned her not to stay any longer than she needed to.

Allie waved, watching him until he was out of sight, then nodded at the security guard, who let her back into the ER wing.

She saw Dash's wife ushering the cop into an empty room, shutting the door behind them.

She used the opportunity to peek into Dash's room, grateful the nurse had left the curtain open. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be asleep. She picked up the chart sitting in its stand on the wall. Glancing over it, she frowned. Bruises and lacerations, possible broken rib from hitting the steering wheel, and a possible concussion. Should he be sleeping if he had a concussion? She'd have to ask the nurse that. She glanced over at the room where his wife and the cop had disappeared. The door was still shut.

She noticed on the chart they had also given him painkillers, and she knew the particular brand made you sleepy, so she figured he was out like a light. It made what she wanted to do easier.

She glanced again at the closed door, thinking she probably had a few more minutes. She looked over at him again and bit her lip. She knew she was the reason he had been drinking and had let himself get wasted. Marvin had pretty much affirmed it without meaning to. She felt guilty that he was in this state and now lying here in the ER.

She closed her eyes, praying for….guidance? patience? forgiveness? She wasn't sure.

She brushed her fingers lightly over his arms and his face. His lips curved into a smile and she resisted the urge to kiss them. He didn't belong to her anymore. He was someone else's, someone who was just down the hall in a room, trying to talk a cop out of pressing charges. She sighed.

She leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Stupid idiot. I love you, but you don't need to be doing things like this! Please get better soon and stay out of trouble."

She turned to leave, and he gripped her arm. She whirled around, fully expecting him to be awake, staring at her. Instead, she saw he was still out. She glanced down at her arm and tugged, expecting his hand to fall at his side. His grip only tightened.

Mumbling a curse, wondering what this would look like if his wife were to walk in, she managed to finally disengage his hand from her arm. She hurried out of his room and out of the hospital.

Later, at the hotel, as she was getting ready for bed, she felt the tenderness still in her arm and looked down, surprised to find a bruise forming in the shape of a hand.


	4. Chapter 4

Her coffee with Marvin had to wait. Instead, there was a call about a meeting with Hawk at the same hotel Allie was staying. Of course, she had offered the meeting space when he had mentioned to her he needed it.

The seven former Joes met in her suite: Lady Jaye, Roadblock, Scarlett, Breaker, Ace, Gung Ho, and Hawk.

They discussed Flint's accident and its consequences. Marvin had called the hospital earlier for an update, identifying himself as the person who had brought him in, and they were told he had been released to his wife's care.

At the mention of his wife, all eyes had avoided Allie's. She shrugged it off, turning her attention to Hawk so he could get to the true reason for their meeting.

"They want to call some of the former team back together. There's been a faction of Cobra they believe has been resurrected."

"Wait," Brad "Ace" interrupted. "We captured the Commander and Mindbender. The others went into hiding and I don't see them leading anything that even resembles the mess that was Cobra."

Hawk nodded. "We're not sure who's behind this, but we know who it's not. It doesn't fit the MO of any of the former officers, so we think it could be an…admirer….of the former terrorist group, or someone who just likes the name."

Ettienne "Gung Ho" chuckled. "You gotta admit, for an evil organization, you can't go wrong with snakes, and "Cobra" had quite a ring to it!"

"What does this new Cobra want? What are they doing?" asked Shana, trying to bring the gang back on track.

"We're not sure," Hawk admitted. "It's been small time so far. They've stolen a weapons shipment from, well, another terrorist group, and done some small petty thefts. A bank robbery or two in Europe, I believe." He frowned.

"Well, gee, that can't be our Cobra if they did something successful, like rob a bank!" laughed Alvin "Breaker."

The group chuckled, thinking of some of the inept things that Cobra Commander had led his organization into. They shared some of their favorites for a few minutes before getting back to the subject at hand.

"Where does this bring us in?" Allie asked, getting a nod from support from Shana, who was glancing at her watch.

Hawk sighed. "I know you all have your own lives you lead now, and it's been five years…but they'd like to see if we could get as many of the specialists back as possible. Wayne has agreed to come on board as well, to whip everyone into shape."

A collective set of good natured groans filled the room. Beach Head was known for his impossible PT sessions.

"So, are you contacting all the former Joes?" Shana asked. "Or just the ones who managed to make the reunion?"

"A call's been put out to all former Joes. It's entirely your decision whether you come back or not, and it could be that we're working more behind the scenes, studying the new organization, trying to figure them out. It won't be all field work," he explained. "We know a lot of you have families now, and are not looking for something too active."

Shana frowned. "Well, in order for Snake Eyes and I to come back, a few conditions would have to be met, like family housing. Where would the base be?"

Hawk sighed again. "Everything's contingent on how many Joes, if any, are coming back and what their needs are. When I explained to the top brass about my idea, they seemed to be willing to cooperate. We could offer townhomes, a kind of military housing, off the main base, for those with families. Those who wish could live on the base. We're just not sure where the main headquarters will be yet. They're apparently still deciding that."

Ettienne snorted. "I'm surprised they're not giving us the old base, or was that used for a firing range or something?"

Brad laughed. "No, I hear they're using it for a training ground for Marines now, buddy!"

Ettienne gave him a dark look, making Brad laugh harder. Even Hawk cracked a smile.

"Wherever it is," he assured Shana, "if you do decide to rejoin, know that only one of you would be out in the field, if any. I won't be breaking up any families," he said, his voice firm.

She nodded thoughtfully, chewing on her bottom lip. She had a lot to talk about with her husband.

Allie was the first to speak. "Well, I'm at an impasse anyway. Let me get my affairs in order, then you can count me in. Want me to bring some of my cousins' toys back with me?" she grinned at Hawk, who smiled back at her.

Brad leaned over and gave her a hug. "If you could bring me back one of your cousins' "designs" to fly…..I'd love you forever!"

She laughed, pushing him away. "You've already promised that…many times! Does that mean you'll join me?"

Brad nodded. "As Allie said, I'm also at a…what was it? Oh yeah, an _impasse_. Yeah, that sounds pretty classy! Count me in, too."

Ettienne and Alvin nodded as well. Marvin stayed silent. Allie looked at him sympathetically. She knew his restaurant was his pride and joy, and he would hate to leave it when it was such a success.

He looked thoughtful before he spoke. "I'm in the process of training a new sous chef anyway. As soon as he passes the test, count me in as well!"

Shana stood. "I'll have to let you know. Other than our foot loose and fancy free crowd," she smiled to take the sting out of the words, "I have kids to consider. I need to talk this other with them first, as well as their dad. We'll be in touch," she told Hawk, then left.

Hawk promised to notify them as soon as he knew anything, and one by one, they all left.

"Clayton," Allie addressed Hawk by his given name, now they were alone. He would always be "Hawk" to the rest, but at one point, he had been "Uncle Clayton," when she had been little. She was one of the few Joes who felt comfortable addressing him in that matter.

"Clayton," she began again, getting his attention away from the closed door. "Who else has accepted?"

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Duke is heading up his own special ops team at this point, so he's out. Right now, it's just the ones who were in this room, and a few others. Most are undecided and rightly so. Like Shana, they now have families to consider and that needs to be their first priority."

She nodded, knowing he deliberately wasn't giving her the information she needed. She wanted to know if Flint had been asked, and if he had accepted.

He looked at her, as if reading her thoughts. "No," he answered to her silent question. "He's one of the undecided. And I can't say that's a bad thing. He's a great military strategist, and we could sure use him, but not at the cost of losing the best covert specialist ever," he grinned at her.

He sobered up quickly. "You will be doing a lot of the field work, especially at the beginning, as we are scouting out this new threat. I guess you probably realized that. In fact, once you get your affairs in order, you might just want to pick up a few toys from your cousins' factory because I already have an assignment for you."

She nodded, not surprised.

"I can be ready within a week," she told him.

He nodded, then surprised her by giving her a big hug.

"I missed you, Allie. I missed all the Joes, but I really missed our talks and just seeing one another."

She hugged him back. "I missed it, too. I'm glad you asked me to join you."


	5. Chapter 5

Marvin kept her posted about things via email while she was in Scotland. Apparently, no charges were drawn against Dash, thanks to Marvin's testimony, and the drunk driver plead guilty, which helped avoid a costly court trial. She was glad, for Dash's sake, although she had the feeling his wife was ready to go to battle.

She couldn't help it. She had googled her and was impressed by her conviction rate. She may look like the pretty blonde, but apparently was as tough as nails as a lawyer.

She made arrangements for her home and land to be tended while she was away. She would miss riding through the moors on a moonlit night, but knew what she was going to do was more important. For now. She visited her family's business, which designed and created military weapons and vehicles, picking up a few new "toys" as she had told Hawk. Her eldest cousin surprised her with a new set of javelins, her favored weapon. She had fun trying them out with him on the testing grounds.

Once she received her call from Hawk, she flew the prototype jet to the new base so he could check out if he wanted to order more for the team.

Landing at the new base, she shook her head, knowing she should never be surprised with how the military treated its specialist teams. The high-tech jet made the shoddy base look even worse. Hawk met her out on the runway and shared her disgust.

"Well," he told her, "we **are** a small group, and are at least close to the housing I was promised. Also, it may look run down on the outside, but Breaker's already been here and we've been granted the most up to date technology there is available."

He took her on a tour of the base after checking out the jet and telling her that, if the budget was approved, he'd be ordering several more from her cousin. She promised to take him up later and show him all the tricks it could play.

She had to admit, Hawk was right. While looking run down on the outside, the inside was pristine, and the equipment looked up to date.

"You said Breaker was here. Anyone else make it out yet?"

He nodded. "Shana came out to look at the housing. She and Snake Eyes are in, but she won't be doing any field work, because of the kids. Her Dad apparently is also relocating, so he can babysit. She said he's turned his karate school over to her brothers and is looking for something new."

She nodded, glad that her best friend would be here as well.

He mentioned a few more Joes he had heard from, but not the one she was listening for. She guessed he was still recovering and probably already back at his job. There was no way his wife would let him rejoin the team. They both had lucrative careers and she doubted the wife would want to relocate.

Stupid, she mentally berated herself, you don't want him here! He's married, remember?

Instead, she turned to Hawk and asked him about her first assignment. He nodded, then ushered her into his office.

"I know you've never been exactly military," he began, gesturing her towards a seat. He settled behind his desk and clasped his hands together, leaning forward. "We gave you the staff sergeant title so the American military wouldn't make a big stink out of you being a special agent. However, none of that matters now, since you've proven yourself many times over."

"The point is," he continued, leaning back in his chair, "I'd like to make you my second in command. I believe we are going to be leading less military strikes and more covert operations. Since you **are** the expert in the field, I feel you should have more of a say of what this team does. What do you think?"

She looked at him, speechless. In the previous GI Joe, the military officers had been ranked above the enlisted, like herself. "So this would entail…" she asked, trailing off, looking at him.

He sighed. "Pretty much what you did last time, really. Lead special missions, have more of a say of what we do, be in charge when I have to be away in DC or elsewhere." He shrugged. "It's really not more than what you were doing last time, only this time with a bigger paycheck and a title," he smiled.

"Well, I'm honored," she told him. "Really, I am."

He raised his eyebrows. "So you accept?"

"Yes," she told him, laughing. "Yeah, why not?"

"So," she continued after a moment, "If I'm second in command, does that mean I can approve my own leave time? I know this great place in Scotland for some R&R," she grinned.

Hawk chuckled. "I still get the job of approving leave request, but yes, I'm sure you can find more frequent visits home. And no, we will not make it Joe Base East."

"Darn. No telecommuting then," she joked. "Although I will have fun outranking Ace," she continued thoughtfully.


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm moving into position. Radio silence from this moment on," she spoke into her communicator to Breaker before she put it back in her pocket. It was disguised as a coin, a gift from her cousins, and she absentmindedly rubbed it, thinking.

She adjusted her veil and looked at her reflection. A pair of black eyes looked back at her, and she nodded, glad the colored contacts seem to be staying in place. Slipping from the bathroom and out of the house into the sheltered marketplace, she blended in with the hundreds of other veiled women shopping in the market. It was one of the few places the women could go unescorted in the town.

It was also one of the best places to gather information.

She kept her ears open as she pretended to shop and bargain over items.

She finally heard what she had been listening for, and she took her time looking over the vendor's dates. She picked through them, picking only the ripest ones for her basket. It gave her the time and cover to remain in one place for so long.

Once the men moved on, she finished picking through the dates and paid the vendor, moving on, unhurried, through the rest of the stalls. She heard nothing else, but was excited by the information she had heard, knowing it would help pinpoint the location and possible ringleaders of this new Cobra.

She said as much when she returned to base the next day. Several more Joes had moved in, and Ace whistled appreciatively when she and Breaker landed in her jet, the Nighthawk.

"When can we make a date and take this baby for a spin?" he asked her, rubbing his hand lovingly along its sides.

She laughed. "Is the date with me, or the Nighthawk?"

He shrugged. "Whichever."

She was excited to report to Hawk about her information, and he gathered the Joes for a meeting as soon as possible.

She was surprised to see all the familiar faces looking back at her. Beach Head stood with his arms crossed, leaning back against the wall, with Courtney "Cover Girl" sitting in front of him. They must still be together if they're sitting so close, she thought, giving her friend a smile. She was happy for both of them.

Ace, Roadblock, Gung Ho, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Wild Bill, Leatherneck, Dusty, and Footloose looked back at her. Breaker came through the door and slid in next to them. So, they were a team of 14 now, she thought. Not a bad number for a group that would begin its missions by doing more spy work than fighting.

She reported to the team what she had just told Hawk an hour ago.

"Apparently, Cobra Commander at one point had a son, and this son thought it was his legacy to resurrect Cobra in all its apparent glory. He also calls himself Cobra Commander and is amassing as many soldiers and former Cobra agents that he can. From what I got of the description of one of the agents, he was talking about Zartan and the Drednoks. He also mentioned a financial backer. I've asked Hawk for permission to do some snooping around Corsica, where we believe the former Crimson Guard commanders went into hiding, since there is no extradition policy from that country. Something was said that makes me think these brothers came into some money, either by fair means or foul."

She paused, then nodded to Beach Head. "I hear that the killer PT sessions have already begun, which is good, since I'm taking a small team to Corsica with me tomorrow. The sooner we move on this, the better."

She looked to Shana. "I'll want you to check out the list of aliases we have for the boys, so we can see if we can track them down a little easier."

Allie glanced at Hawk, who looked at her approvingly, then dismissed the team who groaned when Beach Head made the announcement that PT would begin in an hour. He glanced at Lady Jaye and nodded at her, so she knew she was included in the "invitation."

Shana and Courtney lingered after everyone else filed out.

"Well, congrats, second in command," Courtney said, giving her a hug. "It's good to see you!"

"Nice to see you and Wayne haven't killed one another yet!" Allie teased, hugging her back.

Shana smiled, adding, "It's well deserved, your title. I always thought the women got short changed before!"

Courtney nodded. "So, am I in on the team going tomorrow?" she asked Allie. "I'd like to work on my tan," she joked.

"We'll see what our illustrious intelligence comes up with, then we'll have to see what we can do," Allie told her.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear my exit cue," Shana said, rolling her eyes. "At least I get to skip PT for it!"

Courtney groaned. "Yeah. Heads up. He's thought of some new things. I swear, the man jumped at the offer when Hawk called! He's been running his own gym," she told the girls, "and I swear, his personal trainers were about to ready to quit over his demands! I think they were glad when he turned it over to his manager! Although I have to admit, his boot camp sessions always sold out" she pondered, shrugging.

"So, I hear you and Ace have a date?" Courtney teased as they walked down the corridor.

Allie rolled her eyes. "Um, yeah, he and the prototype jet have a date. I'm just the escort!" she laughed.

"How **are** you doing?" Courtney asked sympathetically. "We couldn't make the reunion, but I hear HE was there."

"I'm fine. HE is fine, I guess," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, girl, can't you get any better gossip than that? It's old news," she said, trying for a light tone and ignoring the stab she felt in her chest at the mention of him. She knew she'd better get used to it. Working among their old teammates, his name was bound to come up now and then.

Courtney rubbed her shoulder and gave it a pat. "I wouldn't mind taking a look at that jet myself. Are your cousins donating any maulers?" she asked, looking for a change in subject, which Allie appreciated.

"Not sure, it depends on what the government approves. Apparently the budget is still in question," she replied dryly. "As usual. There are some things that never change! I've talked to Hawk about us being MARS' beta testers, so they'll donate equipment for us to use. I had to wonder if that's why I have rank now!" she joked.

Allie got to her room and Courtney peeked in, commenting on the space and how nice it was to have an officer's room! Allie rolled her eyes, telling her she had insisted on bringing her own furniture and not the army issue, so that's what it looked so nice.

"I have to admit, I miss our old suite," she confessed to Courtney. "It'll be weird living on base without you two."

"Well….I'd love to room with you, but Wayne and I have a little place we got off base…"

"Hmmm…sounds serious. Did he finally ask?" Allie said, surprised.

"Well, not really, but we're getting there. I'll have him yet! He still thinks I might change my mind," Courtney laughed. "It's just a piece of paper anyway. Well, I'll leave you to rest so no one will comment on dark circles under your eyes! Can't have that with our second in command!" she teased before she left.

Allie sunk gratefully into her bed, glad she had insisted on bringing her own things. She knew Wayne expected her for the PT session, even though she was exhausted. She could bow out, but how would that look to the team? She recalled Duke and Flint missing out on sessions and the grumblings from the other enlisted Joes. She'd rather be a part of her team, not some distant officer, she decided. If she expected them to give their all, she'd do the same in return.


	7. Chapter 7

"It's just as you expected," Scarlett said, dropping the folder onto the table. She turned to the group after addressing Lady Jaye. "It seems our double trouble boys are back in business with Cobra. Since they slithered out of conviction with their cohorts, I'm surprised they jumped back on the bandwagon," she shrugged.

While several of the team made comments, Allie sat, silent, thinking.

She looked up at Scarlett and said in a soft voice, "Do we know if they are doing it of their own free will? Could it be under duress?"

The other Joes grew silent and looked at her, shocked by her question.

Allie stood up and paced, thinking aloud.

"We know they lost their shirts with the original Cobra organization. Obviously, from somewhere, they have replenished their funds. I can't see them backing a losing organization, so either this resurrection of Cobra is something more to contend with than we know of, or they are somehow being forced to become their financial backers."

She turned once again to the group. "It makes our assignment more important, then. We need to figure out what the whole story is. If they are being forced…"

"They'll squeal like the weasels they are," muttered Gung Ho, nodding in agreement. "I agree with Lady Jaye. Once we can get all the pieces and fit them together, we'll have a better idea of what this new Cobra deal is all about."

Allie smiled, grateful for his support. She glanced at the rest of the group, and saw they were all thinking along the same train of thought.

"Gung Ho, Cover Girl, and Snake Eyes will be traveling with me tomorrow to Corsica, since their knowledge of French is the strongest, which is closely related to Corsu, the unofficial language. We'll need the rest of you to remain here and work on testing our new weapons system."

Hawk added a few comments of his own, then dismissed the meeting. When only the mission team remained, Allie spoke.

"We'll leave tomorrow at 0600. We have a stop to make along the way to pick up a few things," she said vaguely. The team members glanced at each other, puzzled.

Allie leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms as she regarded her mission team. "MARS has graciously offered to outfit us with a few of their newer creations. We've signed on as beta testers until the government can figure out our budget. Until then," she shrugged, "we outfit ourselves at the factory."

"This is the company your family owns, right?" Courtney asked, frowning. "The one Destro tried to bring into the original Cobra."

Allie repressed a sigh. Would that stigma ever be erased? "Yes, it's one and the same, although once Destro's intentions were clear, he was no longer working with MARS. You need to remember this is the same company that made our original Skystrikers and Maulers," she pointed out. "You'll be impressed by what we'll be using, since it won't have been released to other customers yet. They do a lot more than vehicles and guns now."

Later, as she and Courtney were looking through her closet at the house she and Beach Head shared for clothes to fit the mission, Allie decided to confess one of her secrets to her friend.

"Just to let you know," she said, flipping through the hangers, throwing a piece on the bed for consideration now and then, "I might have a slight personal issue with this mission."

"Oh?" Courtney paused as she began to pull out her suitcase from the bottom of the closet. "What kind of personal issue?"

"Well," shrugged Allie as she continued to flip through the clothes, "I figure I'd better come clean with you, before we go, in case something is said…" She paused to pull out two dresses, scrutinize them, then throw one on the bed before putting the other back. She backed out of the closet and began to spread the outfits on the bed.

"Definitely this one," she said, holding up a dress with a low cut neck and short skirt.

Courtney giggled. "Yeah, just don't let Wayne know I'm wearing that one. I'm not supposed to be seen out of the house with it on, according to him! Hmmm….so, still waiting for the "come clean" part…." she continued, standing up with the bag in her hand.

"Well," began Allie again, going through the rest of the clothes, forming three piles and studying them. "I might have had a relationship at one time with one of our subjects," she finished, deliberately not looking at Courtney as she hung up the rejected pile.

Courtney froze, staring at her.

"Are you telling me….how could you…I mean, knowing what they are….what the hell, Allie?" she demanded, grabbing her arm.

She sighed. "Court, it wasn't something I planned. The troupe I was in, we had a command performance in Corsica and he showed up backstage. It wasn't like I sought him out. It just happened. His brother was away, I was alone…it just happened," she said again, shrugging, sitting down on the bed. "I just wanted you to know since it will probably come up."

"Which one was it?" Courtney asked. "And are you telling me this was your rebound guy? Good god, Allie, I could've found you a rebound guy that was a little less…dangerous…"

Allie shrugged, getting up again and beginning to fold Courtney's clothes and placing them in her suitcase. She needed to do something with her hands as she talked.

"Dave, I mean, Xamot. Trust me, Tomax's perverted sense of the world scares the hell out of me, but Dave, well, he's…different. It wasn't like I was sleeping with the enemy or anything. Actually, it was quite a nice few weeks," she finished, keeping her back to Courtney.

"A few weeks," repeated Courtney slowly. "Seriously. To be perfectly blunt, Al, I know you were broken up about Flint, but one of the Crimson twins? How many times did they try to go after you when they were with Cobra…and **not** in a good way! Ohmigod, you didn't with BOTH of them, did you?"

"No!" sighed Allie, sitting down heavy on the bed. "Dave's always been different. His brother, Tomax, he's the insane one and at the time we met up, he was currently a resident at the local sanitarium. We were both lonely, a little lost, and…" she shrugged.

"It was nice!" she continued defensively. "We knew it wasn't anything serious and he was a perfect gentleman! Something I hadn't experienced in a long time, to tell you the truth. He surprised me backstage when he realized who I was when he was in the audience, and we went out to dinner…and it went from there. I don't know why I need to defend myself to you!" she continued, angry now that she had shared the secret with her friend. "I guess you have what you need to take for your cover, so I'll just let myself out."

"Allie, wait!" Courtney said, her tone apologetic. "I shouldn't have jumped on you like that. It's up to you who you're with, especially if you're out on your own. I'm glad you found someone who made you happy, even if for a short while, after the shitty way Flint treated you. I'm just shocked at who it was, that's all. I mean, he's still considered a fugitive, right?"

Allie shrugged. "They were never really able to pin anything on them, but then again, they **are** both lawyers. It's what they're good at."

"Okay, so let me get my head wrapped around this for a moment," said Courtney, sitting down on her bed. "I think I'm okay now the shock's over. I mean, it's not like you slept with Cobra Commander, right?" she giggled. "They always were good looking," she continued, thoughtfully, "and I am certainly not one to judge. So….was he as good as the two always bragged?"

Allie's smile answered her question and she laughed. "Okay then! At least they had some truth behind all that bluster. Glad you chose the saner option. Frankly, it was Xamot, er, Dave that seemed to be the nicer one. So….any other rebound guys I should know about?"

Allie laughed. "No, no one you would know, at least." Her smile faded. "It would be nice if I had something like you and Wayne have, or what Shana and Snakes have, but," she shrugged. "I guess it wasn't meant to be. So, I guess I'll just have fun while it lasts, then," she said in a false attempt at humor.

Courtney's look was sympathetic. "I'm really sorry it didn't work out between the two of you, I really am. I just don't understand….you two were the ones everyone predicted would make it, and I know Wayne and I, well, everyone thought it was a joke." She noticed Allie's face and stopped.

"Sorry, I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have brought it up," she apologized, but Allie waved her hand at her.

"No, it's okay. It's bound to come up and I just have to learn to deal with it. I mean, I have learned to deal, but with a lot of the same people around…I know there's bound to be talk. He made his choice and it didn't include me. I came to terms with it long ago, but seeing him at the reunion," she sighed. "I guess all the hurt came back, like it happened yesterday, especially with how easy he found someone else to replace me."

Courtney walked over and hugged her friend. "Well, you're better off. Someone's waiting for you, I'm sure of it….not sure if it's Dave," she teased, "which frankly scares the hell out of me…I mean, don't twins usually share everything? I mean, if you're into that…" she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Allie grabbed a pillow and whacked her on the head. "Get your head out of the gutter, girl! Listen, it was nice to confess it, even without the mission ahead. But, it's over now, but just in case it comes up tomorrow…you'll know how to help me divert him, right? I'd rather not have this whole conversation with Snake Eyes and Gung Ho tomorrow!"

Courtney eyed the clothes on the bed. "Well, with these outfits, depending on whether you're wearing sack cloth or not, I think we can manage to do that!"

"Funny. Listen, I'd better head back and do my own packing. Remember – you're going to be a tourist, with Gung Ho, looking at investments in Corsica. Showing a little leg or cleavage will go a long way to help distract the targets!"

"Gotcha. I'd better get these packed up before Wayne gets home, or he might be locking me in the closet!" she laughed. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow? Can't wait to see those crazy cousins of yours!"


	8. Chapter 8

The four walked into the MARS lobby looking like prospective buyers, albeit one was in a mask, but that wasn't anything unusual for this manufacturer.

The secretary recognized Lady Jaye and after giving her a friendly hug, buzzed her group back into the corporate area. There they were met by her cousin Ian, who showed them to a room that was used to showcase their lines.

"So, how was the flight? Smooth? It's one of my favorite ways to get around…let's just hope Al didn't make you too air sick!"

"Funny, Ian," she replied sarcastically, her eyes narrowed. "Can we get to business then?"

"So, Al, you need your cat burglar tools?" he teased again, which had the other three looking at her closely.

"Knock it off, Ian," she muttered. "But yeah, I might need to pick a lock or two. Whatcha got?"

After showing them the various gadgets for their mission, he handed the two women bodysuits. "This is our newest thing, hot off the drawing board!" he announced proudly.

"Are these the lycra suits you mentioned, then?" asked Allie excitedly. She turned to Courtney. "You are going to love this! These babies will help us camouflage in any situation. We put it on under our clothes and its invisible. When we need to, we take off the outer clothes and its like a green screen. It can project any image you want it to, or it can just blend into the background!" She turned to Ian and smiled. "I didn't think it was this close to reality!"

"Well," Ian said, blushing, "thanks for the glowing review! We pushed it ahead a little, knowing you would need to use them. We're glad to have GI Joe as our betas," he told the team, "because nothing beats real life experience. It also helps raise the price and makes us a tidy profit!"

Lady Jaye shook her head. "Well, we're glad to help out since the price works for us! Any other toys then, Ian?"

"Nope," he answered cheerfully. "Maggie wanted to let you know that next time you come through, you'd better be stopping by, team or no!"

"Tell her the next time I'm given time off, I'm all hers!" she said in response, smiling.

Gung Ho and Snake Eyes were playing with their new weapons, and Ian led them to the firing range, to try them out.

Courtney and Allie stayed behind to change into the lycra suits.

"Wow, it's surprisingly…comfortable," said Courtney, coming from the dressing room on the side of the room. "Your cousin's pretty talented. I have to admit, I'm excited to try it out."

Allie nodded, coming out from the other dressing room. "All my cousins are. It's a shame I don't have their talent, but then again, they like to use me as their guinea pig, so I guess it all evens out!"

She pulled her civilian clothes on top of the bodysuit, and the suit faded from sight.

"Oh, that is so cool!" trilled Courtney. "Are you sure it won't do that once we need to use them?"

Allie laughed. "Let's hope not! It'll respond to camouflage at that point, when the air hits it."

"I'd like to know about the cat burglar part, but maybe that's another late night revelation," Courtney teased, zipping up her thigh high boot, which stopped just below her skirt.

"Yeah, that's another bedtime story," laughed Allie. "Definitely for another day."


	9. Chapter 9

"Ah, belle, I wondered when I'd be seeing you again," Dave "Xamot" said softly as he approached Lady Jaye inside the bank. "It's been too long."

He took her arm and led her to a chair in his office, making sure to shut the door behind them. "Please say it's for pleasure, and not business."

She smiled. "Sorry to disappoint, but you know why I'm here," she replied softly.

Her job was to distract Xamot, while Courtney and Gung Ho posed as a French couple looking at investing in the bank where the twins now worked. Currently, they were waiting in the lobby for their appointment with Val "Tomax" to see what they could get out of him. While the two twins were distracted, Snake Eyes would look further into their dealings with Cobra, and arrange a trip "after hours" for the team.

She sat back, crossing her legs so that the slit in her skirt gaped open, exposing a long expanse of thigh. She watched him as he eyed her legs and licked his lips. She had to admit, the female empowerment she felt was quite satisfying.

"Dave," she told him, continuing in that soft seductive voice, "it would break my heart if you told me you were involved with this Cobra resurrection. I've heard rumors that mentioned you and your brothers as financial backers. I wouldn't want to think you'd make that kind of bad investment again. I mean, last time, you lost your shirts, right?"

His eyes flicked to her blouse, which gaped open enticingly, giving just a hint of cleavage.

"Why would you think that?" he answered evasively.

"Your names came up. I'm here as your…friend….to let you know that it's the rumor out there. If you have nothing to hide then…" she paused and shrugged. "But if you **ARE** involved, well, it could mean trouble. You know, they brought GI Joe back into play with this new threat."

She let the information linger in the air, guessing by his surprise he hadn't heard that rumor.

He leaned against the top of his desk, folding his arms over his chest, looking thoughtful. "Does that mean you're back with them, then?"

She shrugged again, not answering. "I'm just here to give you a heads up, that's all. Considering our past…"she paused, letting that sink in, "I thought I'd do you a favor. I would hate to see you make the same mistake twice."

He nodded, then quickly captured her hands and helped her up. His reflexes had always been quick. He pulled her forward so that she was in his arms.

"Allie," he murmured into her hair. "I don't know why you're here, but I have my suspicions. Stay with me tonight."

She briefly considered it, knowing it would give her team the distraction it needed. But no, they would still have Tomax to deal with, and she wasn't planning on distracting him as well! While she still felt an attraction to Dave, she knew to act on it wouldn't be smart on her part.

She sighed and pulled away. "I can't do that," she told him regretfully.

He played with her hair, smiling sadly. "I like this look," he told her, indicating the french braid she had her hair pulled back in. "It suits you."

He traced a finger down her cheek. "He's back in your life, then?"

She looked surprised for a moment, then shook her head. "That's not it at all. You know why I can't."

He sighed. "One of these days, I'm going to kidnap you and we're going on that world cruise, just the two of us, like I promised."

It was her turn to give him a sad smile. "Maybe someday, but not today. Promise me, though, you'll stay out of trouble? I'd hate for us to be on opposite ends of the game again."

He simply looked at her, not saying anything. She knew the answer and sighed.

"You could join me," he told her as she turned to walk away.

She turned her head. "You know the answer to that as well."

She walked out of the office and through the lobby, noting that Cover Girl and Gung Ho were no longer sitting in the lobby. She had her answer, though. They would just confirm it, along with the evidence they would collect tonight. A heavy feeling of sadness overcame her as she reached the street and walked blindly down to the corner to the café where they were to rendezvous. She never seemed to have much luck, it seems, when it came to her heart.

She almost ran into Snake Eyes, who was waiting in the shadows for her, in the alleyway by the café. His arms were crossed and she could see the censure on his face. She realized he had heard her conversation with Xamot and she gave him a look.

"Spare me," she told him, leaning back against the brick wall and closing her eyes.

He surprised her by pulling her into his arms for a tight hug. She hadn't expected sympathy from him, of all people.

*I know you had hoped he wasn't involved,* he signed to her when he released her. *I'm sorry.*

"I know," she sighed. "I really know how to pick them, huh?"

*Indulging in self-pity now won't help the mission. You need to be clear-headed for tonight,* he signed to her and her anger flared.

*Give me a few moments,* she signed back quickly. *I'll be fine for tonight, trust me. I'm a lot stronger than I look!*

He nodded his head, and she saw the smile lingering in his eyes. *I know,* he signed back. *I do have faith in you.*

"Thanks," she said softly, leaning her head back and closing her eyes again. "Once the others get here, we'll head back to the hotel and make our final arrangements."

Later, in the dark of night, she picked the lock of the office after Snake Eyes had disabled the alarm. She heard it click, and the door swung slowly open. The brothers were hosting a function tonight for the bank, and Cover Girl and Gung Ho were there as well, making sure they wouldn't happen across the two currently breaking into their offices.

Lady Jaye searched through Tomax's office, saving his computer for last. She managed to figure out his password pretty easily and found what she needed. She pulled a flash drive from her pocket and started downloading the files.

"Come on," she muttered softly as she glanced at the screen. The file must be pretty big, she thought, knowing her cousin's modified drive could copy files pretty quickly. She used the time to look for hidden compartments in the desk, and was pleased to find her search wasn't in vain. The panel swung open, revealing his old Crimson Guard uniform, sealed in a plastic bag. She frowned. That didn't prove much, but the file would be more helpful, since it was his personal financial record.

She quickly took the flash drive out and shut down the computer, covering her tracks. She met Snake Eyes outside the office as she relocked the door, with him doing the same to Xamot's office.

He nodded at her, and they left as quietly as they had come. Snake Eyes enabled the alarm system again, making sure the repeated loop they had hacked into the surveillance system was in place to cover their tracks.

*Piece of cake,* he signed to her as they walked along, and she imagined he was grinning at this point. *I like your cousin's toys.*

She chuckled softly. "They come in handy now and then," she replied, then used her cell to text the rest of their team that it was time to head home.


	10. Chapter 10

She was exhausted by the time they reached the base, mentally if not physically. She was glad to save her report for Hawk until the morning, since they arrived in the middle of the night. She briefly wondered how the weapons system had tested out, but after getting permission to land from Breaker, she decided that information, too, could wait for the morning.

She smiled tiredly when she saw Beach Head waiting for Courtney as they departed the jet. Without a word, he took her bag and helped her into the waiting jeep. The tender look he gave her, when he thought no one else was watching, made Allie feel even more alone. It didn't help when she saw Snake Eyes head for his own vehicle, knowing he had a family at home waiting on him.

Gung Ho slapped her on the back, commented on how he felt like royalty, even for just one day, and headed in the direction of his room.

She closed her eyes, telling herself to buck it up. It was better having a life with no complications. She was just overtired and self-pity sure as hell wouldn't help her right now. Making her way to her room, she paused at the door, key in hand. A memory stopped her, as she recalled Flint fussing at her one time, when he found her door unlocked on one of his late night visits, after returning from a mission. She had glibly replied that it made it easier for him to get in and her not to get out of the warm bed…not to mention no other Joe would ever dare enter her room without her permission, or they'd have him to answer to!

God, I really am pathetic, she thought to herself, bringing herself back to the present. He's married and out of my life. The only other person I actually considered has gone back over to the enemy. It's best to wipe any stupid man from my life because obviously, my taste sucks!

She made sure to lock her door behind her, and climbed, fully clothed, into bed. She was asleep within moments.

_The next day….._

"As you can see, their financial situation reversed itself about this time last year, especially Tomax," pointed out Lady Jaye to Hawk as they studied his computer screen. "I haven't had time to analyze it with his brother, but I can only assume we'd see the same pattern. It's rare when they don't act together."

Hawk nodded, thoughtful. He turned to Snake Eyes, who presented his flash drive.

All three leaned forward, surprised.

"Well, it seems the pattern isn't the same," muttered Hawk. "Other than the salary he draws at the bank, I can't see any other concerns. Unless, of course, he's hiding it elsewhere."

Lady Jaye frowned. "I can't see one brother doing one thing, and the other not. It doesn't fit the pattern. Granted, Tomax is the less stable of the two, but since the accounts are secure, I can't see them seeing the need to hide it. Go back to Tomax," she indicated, pointing at a tab. "I don't think they'd try to hide it all in one."

"We see he's the primary account holder for C. Obra, which we can assume is Cobra, poorly disguised as it is. It seems that he is involved fully, but according to these records, Xamot looks clean," surmised Hawk.

Snake Eyes and Lady Jaye's eyes met over Hawk's head. He stared at her and she shrugged her shoulders, not knowing the answer.

"Did you find anything else out by talking to him?" asked Hawk, noticing the exchange between the two. These were two of his most trusted agents, and whatever they were hiding, he would know soon enough.

"He didn't deny it, but didn't confirm it, either," confessed Lady Jaye. "What Courtney and Eittienne found out was that Mr. Obra was a significant account holder at the bank, and she said that Tomax was working hard to convince them to invest in this man's business."

Hawk nodded again, thinking.

"Allie, since you seem to have established a….relationship…with Xamot, maybe it's time we try to bring him over to our side, separate him from his brother, if that's possible. We know he'd most likely be a double agent, but we could use that to our advantage."

She looked at him, startled, wondering what he knew about her that he wasn't saying. His face was deliberately blank, but she had a strong suspicion he knew. Everything. Dammit.

Snake Eyes held up his hands, indicating it wasn't him who had said anything.

"It's why I wouldn't let you go on your own," Hawk answered her unspoken question. "You needed a team behind you, to reestablish contact. This next time, you might likely just go it alone."

"Okay," Allie replied slowly, wondering what was going through Hawk's mind. This was definitely not the GI Joe of the past. Hawk would never have dangled her as bait before, but then again, this was a different time and a definite different style of approach.

She could feel Snake Eye's confusion match her own. He looked in her direction and shrugged.

Hawk sighed. "We don't have much to go on, and if we're going to separate those two, then we're going to need some…persuasion. I don't like using you for this, but…" He left the rest unsaid. "I could keep sending you out in the field, fishing for information, but it's getting us nowhere and Washington's already getting impatient. They want us to verify Cobra's a threat, or we're disbanded. Again." His tone was full of disgust.

She nodded. "So, then, we're through, or we go rogue."

Hawk looked startled at her suggestion.

Snake Eyes nodded. *We have MARS supplying our equipment. Other than drawing a salary, what else do we need?*

Hawk ran his hands through his hair. "Let's just say this conversation did not happen. I don't want to think in that direction unless necessary. And, you realize, we would lose most of our staff because I don't know of many who would volunteer their time for a job like this!"

He shooed them from his office, and the two walked back towards her office. Snake Eyes stopped her and turned her towards him.

*His password,* he signed, *was Alison.*

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked him, confused.

*If someone is going to talk him into coming over to our side, it's going to be you.*

She closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them, she saw he was standing there, arms crossed, staring at her.

"We'll see. It takes a lot to separate the brothers," she said, then realized that wasn't quite true. There **were** things that separated them, and she knew Dave often got tired of taking care of his brother, who still seemed to have manic episodes, especially when he didn't take his medicine.

Snake Eyes simply nodded, then moved down the hall as she entered her office. Sitting down, she leaned back in her chair and looked blindly out her window. What would bringing him here entail? She knew he wouldn't keep their relationship a secret, and that fact would be shocking to most of her former teammates, who still saw him as the enemy. Not to mention, what did that make her look like? The Joe ho? She chuckled at that. Oh no, she mocked herself, a ho would hop from one bed to the next. I'm stupid enough to stay with one hopeless relationship after another. Just a long term ho, then.

Shaking her head, she watched as a helicopter landed. Vaguely, she wondered who it was, since it was not a MARS design, like Wild Bill's, who wasn't letting anyone touch his new toy. No, but it was definitely military though. Someone obviously to see Hawk. She was too far away to make out who it was as the three people walked across the tarmac. The stride seemed familiar, but her mind couldn't place it. Shrugging, she turned to her laptop and began to type her report.


	11. Chapter 11

"So, I hear we've got some new recruits," Shana confided to Allie later, sitting on the edge of the latter's desk in her office. "Man, I wish I had your view. Must be nice being at the top," she teased, staring out Allie's window. "Why do they always think intelligence needs to be in some darkened room? I swear, it's a stereotype!"

Allie glanced out her window and saw dusk was settling in. "New recruits?" she asked absentmindedly. Maybe that was why Hawk had postponed their meeting.

"Hmm. Some former Joes, from what I hear, as well as some others who worked on special forces."

Allie frowned. "He was talking earlier about Washington possibly shutting us down. Why would he be recruiting then?"

Shana shrugged. "Maybe they've been sent as watchdogs then? So the big whigs up in DC can keep a closer eye on things?"

Allie continued to frown. "Maybe." She didn't have a good feeling about this. What Shana said about watchdogs made sense. What Hawk was suggesting, taking a former fugitive into their confidence and making him a member of the team, wouldn't go well with outsiders. She wondered if their plan would be trashed as a result.

She bit her lip. "Who would the former Joes be then? I thought everyone had already given Hawk an answer. I have to admit, I like the size of our team now. We're more a covert/intelligence force, not really engagement right now. If we decide to engage, there will be time later to add more forces, if they even let us," she finished bitterly.

Shana shrugged again. "I guess we'll find out sooner than later. You worried your position might be in jeopardy?" she teased, knowing it was a real possibility. Even in this day and age, women didn't rise too high in the military ranks.

Allie looked out the window again. "I like things the way they are," she said stubbornly. "Maybe I need to go talk to Hawk to find out what's going on."

Shana smiled. She was too good sometimes, she thought.

"Maybe you should, just to find out what's going on. After all, you are his second in command," she told her encouragingly.

Allie nodded, getting up. She wondered why Shana was pushing her so much about this, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. That same military 'copter was still out there and had been for most of the day. Maybe it was time to see their "guests" off.

She knocked on Hawk's closed door and heard him bark an "enter."

Hmm. That didn't bode well. While his bark was always worse than his bite, he usually saved that tone for when he was really annoyed and trying to hide it.

"Sir," she began as she entered. "Sorry for disturbing you."

She glanced around his office and her eyes narrowed before she could stop herself. Three men stood with their backs to her in the office, with Hawk sitting at his desk, facing her. No, it didn't look good.

"Gentleman, let me introduce my second in command," gruffed Hawk, getting up. The men turned and Allie stifled a gasp, barely holding it together. "This is Major Hood, and you know Duke and Flint. Major, this is Lady Jaye."

She nodded, keeping her focus on Major Hood. She shook his outstretched hand. "Major," she said crisply, nodding at the other two. While she was happy to see Duke, she wouldn't dwell on the other. Figures he would come back into her life, a little voice whispered in her head.

"Lady Jaye is one of our best covert agents," bragged Hawk, "and is a natural with her leadership skills. I believe you had questioned that before seeing her file."

Major Hood nodded. "My apologies," he addressed to her, "but you obviously have a loyal following with your commander, as well as with your former teammates," he said, nodding towards the other two. "It's just unusual for a woman to rank so high in a special military force."

"Is that so?" she asked, leaning against the closed door, her arms crossed. Instead of being angry, like the other three expected, she seemed amused. "Well, what can we do for you, Major Hood? Surely you've been given our nickel tour."

He seemed surprised by her reaction, and a smile crossed his face. He hadn't missed how attractive she was, and could see why the others had praised her so highly. Well, her record did speak for itself, and he supposed they were lucky to have her when she very well could still be working with a number of other agencies she had been affiliated with.

"As a matter of fact, I haven't been offered a tour, nickel or not. We've been cooped up in this office, talking budget, unfortunately, but I'd love some fresh air," he informed her.

She smiled brightly and opened the door. "Then allow me, then, Major," she told him, gesturing.

A bit dazed by the smile, he followed her into the hallway. The other three men smirked, having seen that smile before, knowing exactly what it meant. When you got a Cheshire grin from someone like Lady Jaye, it was best to ask first and act later.

"Ah, Ace! Just the person I wanted to see!" Allie said brightly as she spotted him coming down the hall. "We have a special guest who needs a tour of the base. This is Major Hood. Be so kind and give him a **thorough** look around!"

Major Hood's smile faltered, but he didn't want to admit his confusion, as Ace patted him on the back, starting a long-winded explanation of the history of GI Joe.


	12. Chapter 12

Allie slipped back into Hawk's office, closing the door quietly. She turned and didn't bother to hide her anger, her green eyes flashing danger signals.

"What the hell is this?" she blazed, not caring the other two were still in the room. "We have babysitters now?" Her voice was scathing. She flicked a glance at her two former teammates. "No offense."

Hawk sighed, knowing what was really riling her up. "We knew sooner or later they would show up to see what we've been doing. I guess we should have expected it sooner."

She crossed her arms defensively. "So what does this mean?"

Hawk frowned, knowing what she was referring to. "I don't know."

She turned to Duke and smiled sweetly. "It's good to see you, Conrad," she said sweetly. "How's life?"

Duke held up his hands. "Mercy! Please!" he laughed. "I forgot how you could turn on a dime like that! I'm sure the Major never knew what hit him! Did you actually plan on having Ace there? I couldn't think of a better guide who would be so, um, what did you call it? Oh yeah, thorough."

"Dumb luck," she smiled, ignoring the fact that the room had another inhabitant. "Well, maybe not so much dumb, just luck! Ace will make sure he's tied up for awhile."

She turned back to Hawk. "So, what does this mean, exactly? And why the reunion?"

"Major Hood brought Duke and Flint with him for credibility, I suppose, although I haven't heard yet from these two why exactly they are here. They haven't had a chance to speak, really."

Duke spoke first. "I think he's hoping to establish us here as liaisons to Washington. My team's mission is complete and I was at loose ends, so to speak. I'll let Flint tell you his part."

She had avoided looking at him, but felt it would be rude not to at this point, seeing as he was speaking to the small group.

"I'm also being planted here as well, working with the CIA." He looked at Allie apologetically. "My cover has been in Charlotte with the urban renewal project, but I've been CIA now for about 5 years."

"Figures," she muttered. He would've joined up about the time he dumped here, then, she calculated.

She looked at Hawk. "How does this affect what we were talking about earlier? If we're to have '_liasions__'_…"

Hawk looked at her sharply, and she clammed up. No need to get her commanding officer angry with her.

Duke sighed. "Look, we're not here to cause trouble, and you're lucky they chose us and not someone who wasn't familiar with the old organization. Once we establish Cobra exists, or doesn't, then we can proceed forward."

"This is a different organization than what you were used to," Hawk reminded him, taking the words out of Allie's mouth. "Washington knows that. Right now, we're more or less a covert type of force, until things can be established. That's what we've been approved for. We have an agreement with MARS that supplies us with equipment that doesn't cost DC a thing. Not sure why they feel the need to check up on us. It's not like we're draining their budget, like other organizations," he grumbled, his frustration level increasing with his tone.

Allie eyed the two men, wondering where this left her. She doubted they wanted to be told they were below her in rank.

"Allie stays second in command," Hawk continued, his voice firm, and she wondered if her thoughts were that transparent. "This is her area of expertise and she has earned that rank."

Duke held up his hands. "Wherever you want to put us is fine. We have no problem with that," he said, giving Flint a look, who then echoed the same thought.

"In that case, I'm sure you gentlemen wouldn't mind if I talked to Hawk about something in private, then," Allie said sweetly, opening the door. "It's a confidential matter at this point, I'm afraid, since we're not sure what your position might be."

The two men looked at each other, shrugged, and left.

"Now what?" she asked Hawk once the door was closed. "Is the Major a permanent fixture as well?"

Hawk let out a long breath. "No, thank god. At least he brought Duke and Flint. I had no idea they were coming. I knew someone from Washington was going to check up on us, but had no idea they were bringing recruits with them." He looked at her apologetically. "I'm afraid they're here for awhile."

"So where does that leave our latest plan? We can't exactly bring Xamot here, not with Duke and Flint. They're too 'by the book.' It was going to be hard enough to explain it to the team. I doubt it's something we can do with them around, especially if it's their main objective to report to Hood about us."

Hawk frowned. "We might have to table that for awhile, but I might still send you out, to see if you can persuade him to join us. I can talk the boys around. I was always able to before," he said, pride sneaking into his voice.

She smiled. "Thanks for sticking up for me. I'd understand if you wanted to demote me." She paused for emphasis. "Mind you, I wouldn't like it, but I'd understand."

He returned her smile. "I did mean what I said. This is your area, and you deserve this. They both realize that. Even that Major, once he read your file and heard the other two sing your praises, he realized it as well."

"I'm not telling the rest of the team that their former teammates are plants," he warned her. "And despite your personal feelings," he warned, making her flinch, "I don't think they would do anything to jeopardize our position or our mission. We'll hold the briefing after Major Hood has left. After talking this over with you, I think we should go ahead and proceed with our plan."

He paused.

"On a personal note, Allie," he began, looking uncomfortable. "I know I'm not your father, but I feel like you could be my daughter. I'll just say this, and then let it go."

He paused, then continued. "Make your choice and stick with it. You can't go through your life like this. Make your peace with him, with both of them, if necessary, and move on. I know I have no right to advise you on your personal life, but…"

She surprised him by coming over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I know you do it because you care. Thanks. I'll take it under advisement," she told him.

Well, dammit, she thought, as she closed the door behind her.

Now what was she supposed to do?

She wondered where his wife was and, if the whole thing was a CIA cover, was she part of it?

She sighed and berated herself. Seriously, Allie, get it together. He broke up with you before the CIA came calling. That was on his own accord. Get over it, like Hawk said, and move on. She couldn't avoid him forever, not if they were on the same base. She could try, a little voice in her head reminded her, but she squelched it. No, she'd have to deal with it and being in a position of authority, how would it look to everyone else if she acted that way? There would already be talk. Lord help her, there would be even more if Dave joined the team.

Shaking her head, she made her way back to the safety of her office.


	13. Chapter 13

Shana was waiting for her, Courtney beside her. They hustled her into the office as soon as they could.

"Well?" asked Courtney, arms crossed, tapping her toe.

Allie sighed. "Washington sent some new recruits in the form of Duke and Flint. I had Ace take Major Hood, their escort, on a tour of the base so we could talk. If you want more information, talk to those two. I don't know any more."

"Holy shit!" Shana blurted, which had the other two looking at her in shock. She had sworn off cussing when her oldest first learned to talk. "Hey, this situation calls for it!" she said defensively.

Courtney's eyes were wide. "How are you going to handle this?" she asked, not needing to elaborate.

Allie shrugged. "I have to find a way. It's not like I can ignore him forever. At least Hawk fought for me to keep my position."

"I hadn't thought of that," said Courtney thoughtfully. "They used to outrank you, but then again, we're not really based on rank. You earned your position," she said loyally, "why would they expect to take it?"

Shana nodded in agreement. "Well, it'll be interesting having the two of them back. They never really swung their position around too much in the old Joe regiment, so I doubt this will bother them. Of course, they won't be able to get out of Wayne's PT sessions," she said, an evil grin spreading on her face.

"Oh, that's bad," Courtney giggled. "I'm going to have to talk Wayne down from going after Flint. He was pretty pissed when everything went down," she confided to the other two. "He really likes you Allie, and never thought Flint was good enough for you anyway."

Allie shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "It's ancient history anyway. I've moved on." At least, I hope I've moved on, she thought.

Shana glanced at her watch. "I have to be getting on. I think I'll go say hi to the guys and then head on out. Hawk said something about a meeting later, but maybe it'll wait until tomorrow?"

Allie nodded. "At this point, most likely," she said, noting the lateness of the day. "You'd better get home to the kids."

Courtney looked at Allie. "I think I'll go with you downstairs. You might as well fight it head on and get all the rumors out of the way. You know, you do have a lot of support with this team. They like Flint, but if it came down to sides, you'd win, hands down."

She sighed. "It's not a competition, and I don't want it to become one. I guess I'd better make my peace then, for the sake of everyone's wallet. I bet Ace has already started his betting pool. Some things never change," she muttered, shaking her head.

They found most of the Joes gathered around the Rec room. Roadblock was in the small kitchen that serviced the Joes that were living on base, cooking up a feast, someone announced, to welcome back the newest Joes. She felt Courtney's hand on her shoulder, giving her a little squeeze of support.

She felt the tension in the room when she entered, as her teammates tried not to look from one to the other. Fortunately, it was broken by Ace's boisterous voice, showing Major Hood the Rec room, who then gestured to Flint and Duke, and the three walked outside.

"Are you okay?" Gung Ho asked Allie softly, moving to stand beside her. Several others followed, asking her the same thing.

"I'm fine," she said, touched by their support. "Really. Water under the bridge, in the past, yada yada yada. Seriously. I appreciate it, but I just want things to get back to our normal, ok?" she joked.

"You're still our second, right?" Ace asked, looking serious. The others looked at her expectantly.

When she nodded her head, they cheered.

"See?" said Courtney, giving her a small punch in the arm. "Hawk's not the only one supporting you!"

"Who else could pass me off as a rich dude?" asked Gung Ho, laughing. "I'd say that's the talent we need in charge!"

The others nodded in agreement, and Allie had to fight for control, lest the tears spill out on her cheeks.

"Thanks guys, really," she said softly instead. "You need to stop or Ace will be placing bets on who can make me cry first!" she joked, laughing when she saw Ace's guilty look. She was right – he was back to his usual gambling ways. To him, it was all in good fun, but she knew people in the past who had lost quite a bit to him.

The two men reentered the room, and the support group broke up, everyone mingling and talking with everyone else in small groups.

Flint approached Lady Jaye.

"Allie," he said softly. "Can we go somewhere and talk?"

She looked at him for a moment, not responding. Finally, she nodded and they left the room together, several pairs of interested eyes following them.

She led him upstairs to her office and sat behind her desk, feeling it was a protective move on her part. He sat down in the chair across from her.

"Listen," he began after a moment, "it wasn't my idea to come here, and I certainly don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. I wanted to let you know that."

She crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair, listening.

"I think it's great Hawk has you as his second! You certainly deserve it. Both Duke and I agreed on that. This is certainly your area and no one does it better than you."

She continued to regard him in silence. He squirmed uncomfortably.

"You look better than last time I saw you," she told him finally, making him blink, confused.

"The accident," she told him. "I saw you at the hospital. You were pretty messed up. I'm glad things turned out okay."

"You saw me?" he asked, confused. "I don't remember that."

"Marvin called me," she explained, wondering why she was telling him this. "I came, in case you needed someone, but your wife showed up to take care of things, so I left."

He stiffened, then rubbed his forehead with his hand. "Yeah, about that…"

She held up a hand. "What you chose to do with your life has nothing to do with me, and it's not my concern. I guess that was my roundabout way of saying you look better, and I'm glad you're okay. I want us to at least be friendly towards each other, for the sake of the team. Obviously we can't avoid each other as long as you're here, so we might as well get the awkwardness over now. I don't bear you any ill will and both of our lives have moved on, even if our paths crossed again. It doesn't matter, and I wish you and your wife every happiness."

With that begin said, she stood up. "I'm sorry, but I'm tired and need to get some things done before tomorrow. You need to go see Hawk about sleeping arrangements anyway," she said in way of dismissal.

He nodded, stunned by her words. While she wasn't cold, he was surprised by her attitude. It wasn't quite what he expected, but then again, did he think she would just easily run into his arms, either?

He followed her out of her office, which she locked behind her. Giving him a nod, she headed in the opposite direction of the Rec room. He didn't need to know she was taking the long way around to her room. She felt uncomfortable letting him know where she slept, especially considering the memory she relived the other day.

She thought about Hawk's latest plan and grimaced. Was she really living a bad romance novel plot? Seriously, she'd have two former lovers under one roof? Well, three, she admitted wryly, if you counted Ace, but the two of them had an understanding and were more friends than anything else! She just hoped Flint's wife was planning on moving here with him, and that he'd be living off base for the interim. As far as she knew, Duke wasn't married and would be living with the singles here on base.

Courtney was waiting for her at her suite door, and Allie quickly pushed her inside.

"What up?" asked Courtney, looking closely at her friend's face. "I heard him ask you to talk. Spill it, girlfriend. I brought the chocolate!" she announced, waving the bag in the air she had produced from behind her back. "I won't tell you how I managed to steal it!"

"There's nothing much to say. We agreed to be on friendly terms, for the sake of everyone around us. Then, I told him I was tired and had work to do, and that he needed to head back to Hawk to figure out where he was going to sleep tonight." She shrugged. "Nothing too exciting, I'm afraid, although," she said, grabbing at the bag, "I could do with a few pieces."

Courtney laughed, swinging the bag just out of her reach. "Are you sure that's it? You wouldn't hide anything from me, would you?"

Allie suppressed a sigh. Her head was really beginning to throb and although she loved Courtney like a sister, all she really wanted was to crawl into her bed and have a little self-pity party.

Courtney surprised her by nodding, as if answering her own question. "Well, it's good, I guess, if you two have buried the hatchet. I don't think he deserves it, mind you, but if you're okay, that's cool."

Her phone chimed, and Courtney sighed, pulling it out of her pocket. "I've already gotten two texts from Wayne asking when I was coming home, so I'm off. He's planning an early PT session and was grumping how I was keeping him up." She rolled her eyes. "You've been warned!"


	14. Chapter 14

She couldn't sleep. Of course she couldn't sleep! Look at my life! she grumped. The comparison to the romance novel sprung to mind again. Maybe a bad movie, she amended, punching her pillow and shifting around.

It was no use. She glanced at her clock and frowned. It was too early to be up, too late to be awake. She got up and padded to the bathroom, looking for a bottle of aspirin.

After popping two pills, she made her way to her personal laptop, figuring she'd answer some personal emails, something she hadn't had time for lately.

She was surprised to see one from an address that hadn't crossed her screen for awhile. Opening it, she smiled. He was nothing if not persistent, she thought with amusement. He had sent her a picture of a yacht. No typed message, but she knew who it was from and what it meant.

In response, she typed a short message and, after debating on it for a few minutes, asked him to meet, stating that she had a proposal for him. She left it vague, open to his own interpretation, knowing his curiosity would win out in the end.

She answered a few more emails, mostly from her family and a few close friends, then closed the browser. She sat back, thoughtful. She'd have to tell Hawk she had made contact. Since he seemed to know all about her personal relationships anyway, he wouldn't be surprised she hadn't been the one to make the first move.

She reopened the browser and typed in the search for the Corsican bank. She cross referenced it with Cobra and the brothers' real names, as well as known aliases. She found some interesting articles and printed out a few, taking her highlighter and pointing out similarities. It gave her some other keywords to search by, and in an hour, she had a small stack started next to her laptop.

She yawned and glanced at the clock again. Still too early to get up, but at least her mind was a little clearer, she thought as she made her way back to her bed. It wouldn't be much, but enough to get her through the day with a few cups of coffee for backup, she thought as she snuggled under her blanket.

It took more than a few cups of coffee to help her, she found out later that morning. A few tricks to hide the dark circles under her eyes before PT had helped her appearance, but her mind was sluggish. As she showered, she debated on taking the articles to Hawk. While they had seemed so insightful the night before, she knew her mind had been distracted and she would need to check over them first.

After her shower, she checked her email, but there was no reply. She glanced at the stack of printouts, and grabbed them, thinking to take them to her office to look through them again. She grabbed the travel mug from the machine, grateful for that impulse buy the day she had seen it at the store.

She made it to her office unscathed and spread the papers out in front of her, sipping from her mug. She didn't get too far when she heard a knock on her door.

"Enter," she said, her brow furrowed over the articles and her notes.

She looked up as Hawk cleared his throat. "Busy?" he asked, his face a blank.

She stood up. "Sir."

He waved her back down, shutting the door behind her. "Needed to get out of my space. So, what do you have here? Late night reading?"

She admitted as much. "Couldn't sleep. Figured I'd do a little research to clear my mind. Now, I'm not quite sure if I was making sense, but I think I was on to something at some point."

She showed him what she had, and they spent the next hour discussing it.

He finally grew silent, putting the last page down. "I'm impressed. Not that I want you to have too many sleepless nights, but you're definitely on to something. It goes back to what we were talking about before," he said, leaning back in the chair. "One brother involved with either the other knowing and not caring, or not knowing at all. Or," he sighed, "we could be totally off base and both of them are involved up to their necks."

She told him about her email, and he nodded.

"Yeah, that might be the best way to go for now. Now that we're Hood-free, it's time to bring the rest of the team in on our plan. I'm afraid it's not going to be well received, and we're going to have to convince the others to go along with it." He sighed.

He paused. "I hear you took my advice."

What did this man not know? she wondered.

She nodded. "You were right. It was time to come to terms, and there's no reason we can't be professionals working in the same place."

Hawk nodded, rubbing his chin. "He asked to stay on base. I have to admit, I was surprised, thinking he'd take me up on the offer of the off-base housing, but said he'd feel more comfortable staying here. Duke's staying here as well."

She frowned. "I take it, then, his wife stayed in Charlotte?"

Hawk looked at her for a moment, his face deliberately blank. "He hasn't mentioned her. Not sure what that means. Are you going to be okay with this?"

She shrugged. "I've learned to deal with most things. I think I'll be okay. It was nice to find out I have the team's support, as well as yours."

He grinned. "Yeah, heard about that too. We do have quite a group, don't we?" he stated proudly.

He got up. "Well, we'd better call this meeting in, oh, about an hour? We should have all our team on base by this point. Might as well let the ball drop sooner than later, eh?"

He shook his head, pausing with his hand on the doorknob. "At least it's always interesting."

She grinned. "That it is, sir."

She found herself facing the same team, plus two more faces, in the same position she had been in only a few days ago. She was surprised by how much changed in the short period of time.

Hawk began the meeting, giving an overview of what the team had learned from their short time in Corsica. Allie presented her information she had gathered via Internet and the connections she had made.

She paused, and looked at Hawk for support. He nodded, and they turned to the team in unison.

"Our plan of action is a bit radical, but I'm asking you to hear us out first. Know that Lady Jaye and I are in agreement about it, and we think this is the best course of action to take at this time," he told the puzzled audience.

He then informed them of the plan to recruit a former enemy, knowing he very well could be a double agent, and how they would use that to their advantage.

The Joes were stunned. Nothing like this had been suggested before and, with the exception of Snake Eyes, looked from one to the other with startled looks. Shana noticed how composed her husband was, and figured this was something he had already known about. She'd have to make him suffer for that later, she decided.

They wondered if this was Hawk's idea…or Lady Jaye's. Maybe a conglomeration between the two? As Hawk finished outlining the plan, the Joes broke out of their shells and began talking amongst themselves. Some turned to Duke, to gauge his opinion, but his face was like stone. He neither offered support nor criticism on the plan. In his time with his special ops group, he had grown accustomed to radical plans, and had often found that the crazier they were, the more likely they were to either fail miserably, or be wildly successful.

Hawk gestured for Lady Jaye to let them talk. He knew they had to get it out of their system before they truly comprehended what he was suggesting. The sooner they realized the course of action made sense, the better.

She glanced around and was startled to find that Flint was watching her closely, his brow furrowed, as if trying to figure something out. Was he blaming her for Hawk's radically different approach? She took a deep breath. Best not to jump to conclusions, Allie, she told herself. You buried the hatchet, so to speak, with the man. Just because he's looking at you like he's never seen you before doesn't mean anything!

As the voices began to die down, Hawk raised his hand for silence.

"I know some of you find it hard to welcome into our midst a man who was our former enemy. I do, however, want you to befriend him, and feed him false information, provided to you by Lady Jaye or myself, to see if it gets back to Cobra. We've been at a standstill for too long, gathering intell. It's time we took a giant leap. Snake Eyes and Lady Jaye will be traveling to escort our newest member back, if he accepts the offer. That'll be all. This meeting is dismissed."

Hawk stood and gestured for Lady Jaye to follow him. He had told her before it would be best if they left together, letting the others hash it out on their own. They would eventually come around, he was convinced. They always did, he thought, chuckling to himself.

Snake Eyes followed them out the door as well. He stood and gestured towards Lady Jaye.

"I haven't heard from him yet," she told him. "As soon as I get his email, we'll set up a rendezvous point and leave as soon as possible."

As Hawk turned, Snake Eyes gestured something else, and Allie smiled.

*Peace has been made, and no, I have no idea what I'm doing with the two of them. Target practice might be a good idea,* she signed back to him.

She saw his shoulders shaking and knew she had made him laugh.

"Good luck with your wife," she whispered to him before she followed Hawk. "I saw her face when the bomb was dropped. Hope you're ready for it!"


	15. Chapter 15

Allie shook her head, amused. He had emailed her back with another photo, this time with a yacht that, upon closer inspection, was one that belonged to MARS Industries. It was used for downtime by the company execs for different functions, and she knew where it was usually moored. At least it wouldn't be a meeting in a dark alley, she told herself, shutting down her computer.

She rifled through her closet and found the outfit she was looking for. Quickly putting it on, she called Hawk's office and told him the news. She met Snake Eyes by her Nighthawk.

He gave her a thumbs up for her outfit and she laughed.

"You ready for this?" she asked him, and he shrugged.

"Hope you didn't catch too much flack from Shana," she said over her shoulder. He shrugged again, and she rolled her eyes.

She took off and explained to him where they were going. The plan was to land on a small strip near where the boat was moored, and take a car to the harbor. She hoped she had interpreted the message correctly, and Dave would be there waiting for them.

As soon as he saw Snake Eyes, his smile stayed in place, but his eyes grew cold.

"Well, not the proposal I had intended," Xamot/Dave told her, gesturing towards the ninja. "But you have my attention, for now."

She gestured towards the cabin, and followed him down, with Snake Eyes behind her. Dave eyed the ninja with distaste.

"Do we really need a escort?" he asked her. "Or are you that worried about me you have to bring a bodyguard?"

Allie smiled softly at him. "No, I don't feel threatened by you. I'm sorry if you misinterpreted my message," she lied. "We have a business deal to discuss."

She sat down and gestured towards a seat across from her. She got straight to the point. "Let's think back to the conversation we had recently. We've got evidence that links your brother to Cobra, or rather C. Obra," she said pointedly. She leaned forward, putting a hand on his knee. "Nothing could be found against **you**, though. What about letting us take you into protective custody, clear your name, and help us out? We could also paint you as a double agent, and you could be our intel for Cobra, while you can feed them false information from our end." She rubbed his knee before sitting back. "Think about it. You could keep an eye on your brother, if you wanted to, but do something honorable as well. You might be able to find a way to draw him out completely by the time we're done," she added in what she hoped was a persuasive tone.

Snake Eyes watched all of this with amusement, happily staying in the background. Shana would be interested to know that Allie had become a femme fatale and he had to admit, it looked like her tactics were working.

"Can you excuse us for a moment?" Dave asked Snake Eyes, who nodded his head and quietly left the cabin, shutting the door behind him. He was pretty confident Allie wasn't in any danger at this point.

Dave turned back to Allie and smiled. "There are several conditions if I do agree to this scheme. I must say, you know me too well," he sighed, leaning forward and taking her hand. "While my brother and I aren't as close as we used to be, I'd still like to make sure he's okay. I've let him head up this latest…venture….and have taken a back seat to it. It'll take some convincing on Cobra's part, for me to play the double agent, but I'm pretty sure we can swing it. Now, for the conditions…."

Allie looked at him, knowing what was coming next. "Dave…"

He held up a hand. "Let me finish. I let you say your piece, belle. While I would love for us to pick right up where we left off," and he brought her hand to his lips to make his point, "I know you can't do that in your current position. Yes, my dear, I've done my homework as well," he said in response to her surprised look. "I must say, it's well deserved and long overdue."

He pulled her over to him and settled her in his lap. She didn't struggle, figuring he had a point somewhere, and had to admit, she wasn't that upset by the move.

"No, love, what I want is a little more than just having bedroom privileges. I want you all to myself," he told her, burying his head in her neck, trailing kisses down past her collar. "You," he told her, his voice muffled as he pulled her closer, "and I will take our cruise when all this is over and we will not look back."

"I can't promise that," she whispered. "There could be complications."

"Ah yes, that." He pulled away and looked at her, a frown marring his face. "If you don't take care of him, I will. If I can't be with you, then no one can." His voice was firm.

This time, she pulled away and looked at him. "I don't respond to threats," she said, her voice growing cold. She got up, brushing some imaginary dirt from her pants. "I've given you the Joe's offer, and you can either take it or leave it. I'm not part of the bargain."

He held up a hand. "Don't say any more. If I can't win you over now, maybe working in closer quarters will help," he said, smiling apologetically. "You can't blame me. You come in, looking like that," he said, indicating her outfit which she would describe as innocently seductive, "and of course my heart takes over for my head."

She softened, just a little. "Well, you can think about it if you'd like…"

He held his hand up again, stopping her. "I've already decided," he told her. "Let me take care of things, set it all up, and I'll get in touch. You drive a hard bargain, Alison," he told her. "I am definitely looking forward to this new venture, though."

She regarded him silently, not sure if she trusted the gleam in his eye as he said it.


	16. Chapter 16

She was talking to Snake Eyes as they walked across the tarmac when she felt a tingling on the back of her neck. Looking up, she met Flint's eyes. He was frowning, his arms crossed, as he studied the two of them.

"Now what," she muttered to Snake Eyes, whose eyes had followed hers after he felt her body tense.

*You certainly are a busy woman!* he signed to her, which earned him a shove from her.

"Go and report to Shana, like I know you're going to," she told him in a low voice. "I'm going to hide in my office, if she needs me."

*You need any help getting by him?* he signed again, but she shook her head.

"Thanks, but I see a side door I can duck through," she told him softly, giving him a smile. They parted ways and she managed to elude Flint, for the moment. She knew he'd find her, but at least she could breathe first and get herself together before facing him.

She changed her mind about her office, and decided to head straight for Hawk's, ready to give him a report on the latest developments.

He looked at her outfit and chuckled. "Did you even give him a chance, then?" he teased his second in command.

She smiled in response. "He's making arrangements, then will get in touch. I'm not sure how long it'll take and I have to admit to you, I'm not so sure we can trust him completely. He's used to having things done his way, and I'm afraid his coming here will be a shock to his system."

"Do you think you can control him?" asked Hawk quietly after a moment. She was shocked by the question. What exactly was he implying?

She bit her lip, trying not to look offended.

Hawk quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. I know that was blunt. However, it's a fact, not a well known one, but one nonetheless, that you two were involved and whether you want to share that with the rest of the team, well, that's up to you." He gave her a hard look. "You and I are different."

He cleared his throat, not sure if what he was about to say next would be taken the right way.

"One thing I've always admired about the women in this unit – you have a weapon you can use over the male counterparts that's pretty powerful, when you do decide to use it." He paused. "I'm really trying not to sound sexist," he chuckled, "but of course, how can I not? I know that same weapon can also cause you to be more in jeopardy as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is…"

"Use it wisely?" she quipped. He smiled, grateful she wasn't offended. It had been a hard enough subject to bring up, but he wanted to make sure their plan of bringing the enemy into their door worked.

"I understand," she said, nodding. She debated on telling Hawk about the conditions that were stated, but then chose not to. After all, they hadn't been agreed on, right? She didn't have to share everything with her commanding officer, although it seemed he knew a lot more than she gave him credit for.

They talked a little more about the weapons system and the state of the base before she finally left his office.

She found Flint, leaning against the wall, his hands crossed, still scowling, waiting outside her office.

"What the hell kind of uniform is that?" he snapped when he saw her, his patience gone.

She sighed loudly. "Seriously? I'm a COVERT AGENT," she said slowly in a sarcastic tone, as if he couldn't understand. "If I went out in a military uniform, that wouldn't be very…covert…would it?"

She glanced at her office door and decided she'd leave it for later. All she wanted now was an aspirin and a nap. Maybe hang out later in the Rec room with the other Joes. What she didn't want was to be grilled by someone who had no right anymore to say anything about her, much less what she chose to wear as a capable adult, and said as much to him.

"You gave up your right to that a long time ago," she snapped, eyes narrowed. "I have a job to do."

She pushed past him and stormed off to her room, muttering to herself in several different languages about arrogant men and their egos.

Flint was smart and didn't follow. He just closed his eyes and cursed his stupidity. What was it about being around her now that brought out the worst in him? Knowing she had been sent to fetch the one Cobra agent who had always scared him, when it came to her safety….Xamot had always had a thing for her and never bothered to hide it. Flint was afraid Hawk was using it to the Joe's advantage, using her as the bait. Personally, he hated the former Cobra and was not going to give him an inch while he was here, doing his best to protect Allie, even if she didn't want him to. Judging by the outfit she was wearing, he wasn't so sure about things anymore….he wasn't sure if she was the same person anymore. Had he done that to her?

He knew he had no right to make judgment calls for her. He had given that up a long time ago, and if he could take back the last five years, he would. Sighing, he wondered if she would ever forgive him.

He ran into Duke in the weight room, deciding to work off some of his frustration.

"What's up, buddy?" asked his best friend. "You look like gloom and doom." He paused in his routine, and looked at Flint closely. "Oh, never mind, I can guess. Need to talk about it?" Duke sincerely hoped the offer would be declined. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone else's problems, his eyes straying across the room to where Scarlett and Snake Eyes were having a workout together.

Flint mumbled something, then settled on the weight bench. Duke moved over to spot him. He knew eventually, he'd have to get him to talk, or there would be a major explosion. He had seen it before, and didn't care to be a witness to it again.

"Women never should have been allowed in the military," he grumbled to Duke, who couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, but then where would we'd be? They'd be invading other parts of our lives." He paused, figuring he'd better bring it up anyway, against his better judgment. "You had a run in?"

"Do you know what she was wearing? It looked like she had been on a date! What kind of mission has you dressing that slutty?"

Duke flinched, glad no one was around them to hear. He had gotten the impression from his former teammates that they were pretty loyal to Lady Jaye, and Flint's comment would only stir the pot. Already they were suspicious of he and Flint's arrival, especially with Major Hood parading them in, and he had been told by a few that they liked the way things were, and didn't want any changes. He knew they were worried he and Flint were here to take over, and considering Dash and Allie's past….well, he tried to stay out of it. Once he reported to Major Hood and others that things were going well here, he was gone again. He felt his eyes wander over to where Scarlett was working out, and thought the sooner he could make that report, the better.

"I'm just afraid that when you dangle something out for bait, it's eventually going to get caught," Flint puffed, his eyes narrowed. "And where will that leave her? I can't believe Hawk's going along with this!"

Duke decided to play devil's advocate. "Are you so sure it wasn't his plan to begin with?"

The weight settled on the bar with a bang.

"We all know he's been fond of Allie since the beginning. Why would he put her in that kind of danger? No, I have a good feeling I know who came up with this plan," he grumbled. "I don't know what kind of game she's playing, but I don't like it."

That was the understatement of the year, Duke thought.

"Have you told her all this yourself, or did you just insult her outfit?"

Flint glared at his friend.

Duke tried to hide a smile. He knew his friend too well.

Slapping him on the back, he encouraged him to go find and talk to her. "Tell her what you just told me, only without the insults and for god sakes man, you were an English major once! You'd think you could be more….shit. Just tell her what's in your heart, okay?" He paused. "Go clean yourself up first. You can't go spouting off your feelings smelling like the gym."


	17. Chapter 17

Her office was empty, but then again, did he really expect to find her there? He checked the other public areas and then went to the one place he wasn't sure he was comfortable going.

When he had been walking the halls one day with Roadblock, the man had been pointing out different areas in a section he hadn't been in before. At one point, his friend had waved in a general direction and told him that's where Lady Jaye and Hawk had their rooms.

Roadblock had chuckled then. "We figure that's her space, so most of us stay away from the area. Courtney says it's like a small apartment, although she joins us for meals most times. Well, when we can pull her away from her work. I always make sure she gets something to eat before I head out," he informed Flint, nodding. "She doesn't eat enough as it is. Someone's got to watch after her," he sighed, then realized who he was talking to and apologized quickly.

Flint had shrugged, telling him not to worry about it.

Roadblock had then stopped and looked at Flint. "Not to be nosy but, well, we've all been wondering…when's your wife getting here, or is this just a temporary assignment for you and Duke?"

If anyone else had asked him, he would've gotten angry and told them it was none of their business. Considering it was Marvin, who he knew was as much his friend as Allie's, he didn't take offense.

"Well, once I got assigned here, we decided to separate for awhile. I mean, it wasn't because I was assigned here," he told Roadblock quickly. "Just some stuff going on before hand, before the accident even. By the way," he looked embarrassed. "Thanks again for that."

"No problem man. It's what friends do." Roadblock was equally embarrassed, and had changed subjects quickly, moving on down the maze of hallways, with Flint following.

Flint found his way to that particular hallway and slowed. He really didn't want to confront Allie in her bedroom, and he certainly didn't want his thoughts straying in that direction. Not now, at least.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door he believed to be hers.

Allie heard the knock and frowned. Most of the Joes left her in peace once she was in her room…well, all but Shana and Courtney. However, she knew Shana would be somewhere, most likely the training room, with her husband, and she hadn't seen Courtney around.

Shrugging on a robe that was hanging on the corner post of her bed, she went to go see what her friend wanted.

When she opened the door, she realized her mistake in not asking the person to identify themselves. She frowned, her hands on her hip as she regarded Flint.

He felt lightheaded, seeing her standing there in her robe. It was one he had seen plenty of times before. He knew then she had been lying down. She always did have a habit, a wonderful one, he thought, of changing into a slinky negligee whenever she had a headache. He remembered her laughing one time, telling him that it made her feel better, having all that silk around her skin, and it usually worked better than an aspirin.

He doubted she'd tell him that now.

Knowing what was underneath the robe had him sweating.

She continued to frown as he stood there, silent, staring at her. Rolling her eyes, she opened the door wider and let him in, not wanting anyone to come upon the scene.

She closed the door, leaning against it, crossing her arms.

"What?"

She realized her voice had an edge to it, and sighed. He already had her feeling defensive, and he hadn't said a word.

She tried again. "What did you need, Flint?" She hoped the use of his code name would have his head back on business, and not a personal matter. She felt self-conscious in her robe with him, remembering one time when he had threatened to rip it off her when the tie had gotten knotted in a particularly passionate moment. She almost smiled, but stopped herself. That was ancient history.

She could get dressed, she debated, glancing at her bedroom door. Stubbornness won out, though. He had come to HER room on HER time, so why should she be the one to accommodate him?

"Allie, I…." He paused, not sure what to say. Seeing her like this left him speechless. What he had rehearsed on his way to her room vanished from his head. He shoved his hands in his pockets, afraid he would grab her if he didn't control himself.

"Why are you here?" she asked, trying for a softer tone. She knew him too well…well, she HAD known him, she corrected herself. He had something to say, something he had probably rehearsed and planned out, so she'd just wait until he got it out, then would get rid of him as soon as possible.

She turned and walked to the fridge in her kitchenette and grabbed two bottles of water. She tossed one to him and saw he wasn't too frozen to catch it mid-air.

Uncapping hers, she took a sip and regarded him.

"Have a seat," she said, indicating the sofa in her small living room. He gratefully sat, clutching the water bottle between his hands.

She chose a plush chair, tucking her feet under her, figuring she'd better get comfortable.

"What's on your mind?" she tried again, figuring if she set an easy, friendly tone it would help the tension in the room. Commander to underling, she thought, mentally chuckling. Yeah, right.

He tried not to look at where her robe gaped open, knowing what was there and not wanting to remember.

"I think we need to talk," he finally said.

She sighed. "Why do all of our conversations start this way?"

He looked at her, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she sighed again. "Look, I don't normally…entertain here, unless it's Courtney or Shana. None of the other guys hunt me down here to talk, instead finding me in my office or somewhere else more…public on base. So either it's something I need to know immediately, or its more on a personal matter."

She got up and began to pace, glad to have the water bottle to occupy her hands. "So, okay, we need to talk." She whirled around, facing him. "What do you want to talk about? We're on friendly terms. Check. Already had THAT talk. You're not happy with me being in charge and being Hawk's right hand person, then?"

He shook his head no. "I think it's well deserved," he told her honestly.

"Okay, then, that's not it," she said, knowing it hadn't been. She knew what it probably was, and figured she'd probably have to be the one to bring it up.

She paused, her hands on the back of the chair where she had been sitting. "The latest mission, then. You're upset that you didn't get to go? Or are you upset that we are bringing a former enemy into our organization, even if it's just temporary."

"It's WHO it is!" he told her, getting up himself. "Allie, we both know how obsessed he was with you in the former Joe days. What's to say he hasn't changed?" He unclenched his fists, willing himself to relax. "I don't like the fact that you're the bait that's getting him here!"

She crossed her arms defensively. "Well, you really don't have a say anymore, now, do you? Hawk and I decided together that this was the best course of action. The fact that Xamot and I have had a past might actually help, have you thought of that?"

His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by past? I'm talking about all the times he and his brother tried to capture you and how lucky you were that you were never with them long enough for them to do anything!"

He strode over to her and grabbed her shoulders. "Do you think I want them to lay their filthy hands on you again? When you approached him, like the way you were dressed, it just gets thoughts in his head! Trust me," he said hoarsely, looking at her, his eyes pained, "I know what it's like to want something so bad, and not be able to have it!"

She whimpered, and that was all it took. Grabbing her, he began assaulting her mouth. She couldn't help but respond, years melting away in the moment, and it was like they were before. Her mind clouded to the present and she felt herself guiding him to the bedroom.

"God, Allie, it's been too long," he rasped, tearing off her robe as she slid her hands under his shirt. He took her mouth again, his hands working feverishly at her clothes, helping her with his.

Later, tangled in the covers, she realized what she had done, her mind coming back to the present, and felt like crying. What good would this do? It didn't solve anything. He was still married and very unavailable. Plus, was she ready to open her heart again, knowing he would only rip it out, again, when he left…again?

"Allie," he murmured sleepily in her ear, pulling her tighter to him.

"Dash," she said, forcing herself to pull away, "this was a mistake."

She used the covers to block her body from him, realizing how foolish it was when the man knew every inch of her body.

"No, honey, no," he told her, sitting up and trying to pull her to him again. She backed away.

"I'm serious," she told him, holding up a hand to stop him. "I can't do this again. Did you forget about your wife?" she asked, a bitter tone creeping into her voice.

He sighed. "That's not a concern any longer."

She looked at him, eyes narrowed. "So you two are no longer together? Was that part of your cover, or your own decision?"

"Hers actually," he told her. "She has always known about us, and after the reunion and the accident…she told me she couldn't live a lie anymore. Trust me, she got her share from the prenup we had," he told her, and she was surprised at how matter of fact his voice sounded.

"She knew about us?" she questioned, confused. "What 'us'? I hadn't seen you for five years until that night!"

He sighed. "It's a long story, but she knew I had already lost my heart to someone else. We thought we could make it work, but…"

Allie sat, thinking. "So, because you are a 'free man' now, you've decided that I'm worth being around again, then? That this," she indicated the bed with the sweep of her arm, "is okay now, that I'm fitting back into your life?"

She got up, not caring what he saw at this point.

"I don't think so," she told him angrily. "You need to be gone by the time I return!"

She slammed the bathroom door behind her, and he heard the shower turn on.

What the hell just happened? he thought, befuddled. They had just had one of their most heated sessions, and she's pissed because he's no longer married? It didn't make sense! He tried to figure out where he went wrong. You'd think she'd be fine, knowing he was no longer married, since she had told him before she wouldn't be the "other woman." What makes this so different? He figured if he could, he'd get a female opinion on this, to try to make sense of it. Obviously, Duke's advice had not worked out at all.


	18. Chapter 18

"Mon belle, can't we sneak off and be alone somewhere?" he murmured in her ear. His hand touched her back and began rubbing small circles. She was sure it was meant to be soothing, but it had her tensing up.

She stepped away, worried someone had seen. "Not now," she muttered. They had gathered for one of their scheduled briefings, and Xamot had been sticking close to her. In fact, he had been glued to her side since he had arrived the other day, she thought. So much for being discrete! The others had already joked with her that he was her lapdog.

She caught Flint's scowl from the corner of her eye and felt defensive. Like he had a right to say anything! she thought angrily. What she had done when he had cut her out of his life all those years ago was her business! Despite their "talk" the other day, nothing had changed. There were only so many ways to avoid someone living on the same base, so her attitude, when she had run into him, had been cool and professional. He had taken the hint and stopped trying to get her alone.

Even Courtney, she sighed aloud, thinking about it, had gotten in on the game. She had approached Allie and talked to her about Flint. Even though her friend knew her history with both men, she seemed to be on a "pro Dash" kick for now. Allie hadn't been able to explain to Courtney why, even though she knew Dash was officially "available," she thought it was a bad idea to get involved again. Obviously her heart disagreed and judging by the other day's "activity"….

Courtney, ever the hopeless romantic, had seemed almost a little pushy about it, she recalled, frowning. Of course, it could be because she knew about her involvement with Dave, and had even suggested that Dash could provide a buffer between the two. Allie had shaken her head, telling her she was not pitting the two against each other and that was final. Not only would it go against Hawk's plans, she would never want two men fighting over her. It was archaic!

No, it was better at this time if she just kept herself unavailable to either man.

Her whole team was regarding the newcomer with caution. Xamot mainly ignored them and focused on Allie. Ace and a few others had "saved" her from time to time, taking the man aside and distracting him while she got away. However, he always seemed to find his way back to her and was doing his best to talk her back to her bedroom.

She caught a sympathetic look from Shana, and used it as an excuse to move away from the situation. "Stay," she said firmly to Xamot, as if she was talking to a dog. She looked gratefully at Ace as he once again came to her rescue, approaching Xamot, slapping him on the back like an old friend, and start talking to him about something.

She escaped to where Shana and Courtney were sitting on the other side of the room.

"Thanks," she murmured, knowing they had sent Ace.

"Girl, we need to talk," said Courtney softly, mindful of the Joes around them. "You need pest control? Wayne's volunteering, if you need him. He'd be more than happy to take it out on him during PT, as well as any other time. He told me to remind you of that!"

Shana nodded, saying in a low voice. "You've got yourself in quite a situation here. I'm surprised bets aren't being placed between who will crack first – Xamot or Flint. I'm surprised something hasn't happened between those two yet, the way Xamot follows you around."

Courtney giggled. "Have you noticed that Flint is never far behind? I swear Allie, it's like you have a guard dog! Maybe you should reconsider…" She stopped when Allie glared at her. "Okay, okay!" she said, hands up in the air in surrender. "I won't say it again!"

"Something needs to be done," Scarlett said firmly. "How much longer do we have to keep this joker?"

She was about to say more, but Hawk chose to call the meeting to order at that point, and everyone took their seats.

Allie managed to escape afterwards to her office alone. She was in the middle of one of her reports when there was a knock at her door. Not looking up, she called out for the person to enter, figuring it was either Hawk or one of the girls.

She heard the door open and close, but wanted to finish typing her final paragraph, so it was a moment before she looked up.

She saw Flint waiting patiently, looking apologetic. She couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips, but gestured for him to sit down. Hopefully it would be business related, but she doubted it. Sitting back, crossing her arms over her chest, she simply looked at him and waited for him to say his piece.

"Listen, Allie, we haven't had much of a chance to talk lately, and I know you've been avoiding me after what happened," he began, nervously fidgeting with pieces of his uniform. "I know I'm not exactly your favorite person lately, but I do want to see you happy. If there's anything I can do….I mean, you know the way I feel about you…"

"No," she interrupted in a quiet voice. "Actually, no, I don't. You want to know the truth, about how **I** feel?" She got up and stood by the window in her office, looking out. She continued without turning around, unable to face him and say what she wanted him to know. "I feel that I wasn't good enough for you, back then, and you used an easy excuse to escape any kind of long term commitment with me that didn't involve GI Joe. You tell me you regretted that mistake, yet you found someone you loved enough to marry….which is something apparently you couldn't do with me, or maybe you just didn't feel that way about me."

She turned back to him, unable to hide the tears in her eyes. "So, no, I don't know the way you feel about me. Is it just convenient that you say you care about me only because of where we are again? Or is it because someone else has shown interest in something you threw away, and now you want it back? Where in these five years, that you keep telling me you regret and are such a mistake, have you ever tried to find me, to contact me? It wasn't like I was hard to find, if you simply looked! If you weren't assigned here, would we even be having this conversation? I think not."

Her tone was sad and free of any bitterness. She knew she still loved him, but she didn't want to be used again and even if he was sincere, what guarantee did she have that it would work out this time?

"So you can tell yourself whatever you like," she continued, "but that's where I stand. I'm not going through this again. The first time almost broke me when you left. I'm not chancing it again," she told him, being honest.

He looked startled and very guilty. She had struck home, she realized. He may have separated or divorced from his wife, but it didn't matter. She would never let herself be hurt like that again. She had tucked her tail and run to her family in Scotland after he had left. She had not known where else to go, and being with her family had helped her heal, as well as given her an outlet for her pain.

She looked out at the darkening sky and remained silent.

He didn't know what to say. He had known he had hurt her, but what she just revealed to him was a very private part of herself that she usually kept hidden. For her to reveal it to him now showed the depths of the pain she had suffered.

It was a mistake, him being here, if it was causing her this much pain. He wasn't sure how much time he had left here, being the CIA contact for the team, but he was sure he could request a transfer. It might be best for both of them. He didn't want her to hurt anymore, but dammit, she was like a drug. He just couldn't give her up.

He could tell her that he had found her, had kept tabs on her during the years, and it had caused innumerable arguments between himself and his wife when she would find out. At one point, she had grown sympathetic and told him to find her and end it once and for all, to get some closure. He had been too scared at what would happen, and had lied to his wife, telling her it was only his guilty conscious.

After the accident, she had suggested they spend some time apart until he got himself together. His pretty, clever wife who had drawn up a prenup before they were married and who was even now starting divorce proceedings. She had known though, from the beginning, that his heart belonged to someone else. He had thought that she could help him get over Allie, but no, that was impossible. Allie had never been far from his mind. Something always reminded him of her, no matter where they were, and his wife had finally realized it would never stop.

He wanted to go over to her, to hold her, to take away the pain. He even got up and started towards her before he realized it would only make things worse. He dropped his hands at his sides and simply stood there, not sure what to do.

After a few moments, when she continued to ignore his presence, staring out that damned window, he turned to leave.

"I've never stopped wanting you, Allie, and I will always love you. I never meant to cause you this much pain," he said softly, feeling the pain in his heart. "I'm sorry," she heard him whisper as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

She collapsed on her chair and began to cry.


	19. Chapter 19

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lady Jaye settled down with Ace and Gung Ho to watch a move in the Rec Room. Several of the other Joes were congregating around the room doing various activities.

"No lap dog tonight?" Ace teased her as they watched the opening credits. In response, she punched his shoulder.

"Ow! While it's nice you're slumming with us tonight, I thought he always kept you within sight at all times," he continued to tease, which got him a punch on the other side from Gung Ho.

"Ace, control that mouth of yours. I want to hear the movie!" he grumbled. She smiled her thanks to Eittiene, and he nodded his head in return.

"If you must know," said Courtney, leaning over Ace's shoulder and grinning, "Wayne has several Joes doing some extra PT. Something about some night mission practice." She sent Allie a wink.

"You know, babe," began Ace, slinging an arm around Lady Jaye's shoulder, "When we were together, I did find you irresistible, but I have to say, I'm glad we have our understanding now. Maybe I need to have a talk with the boys?"

She rolled her eyes at him. He grinned. "See what I mean? We were hot and all, but I think we are much better off as friends. I know it's saved my butt a couple times!"

She gave him a look, then turned her attention back to the movie. She wasn't sure what they were watching, but had to admit, it was nice not to have to worry about fighting off Xamot's affections, or see Flint glaring at them from across the room. While Flint had backed off after their talk, she felt things were escalating between the two, regardless. Shana was right – it was coming to a head and something needed to be done. Beach Head was doing his part by trying to literally work it out of them.

Their first "plant" would be in a couple of days. Hawk had made sure to feed Xamot false information and the fake scouting mission that team would take would give him plenty of opportunity to inform his brother and Cobra of any news. The real mission would be following the fake one, observing what would happen. Hawk and Lady Jaye had agreed that it all could be an elaborate trap and would have backup ready to go if it was needed. Only a select few were in on all the details. They had drawn Duke in on their original plan and although he had looked at Allie skeptically, not sure if he liked all the details, he had helped them hone a few points.

Beach Head came into the room, shaking his head. "I can't do anything with those two idiots," he announced, disgusted, as he approached his girlfriend. "I almost just let them fight it out, just to get it out of their system, but I don't think it would help," he added softly, not wanting to broadcast it all over the room, especially after the look she just gave him. "Are you almost ready?"

"Almost," she smiled back at him. "Thanks, and I know I can add Allie's thanks on to that. She looks more relaxed than I've seen her for awhile," she said, looking over to where she was sitting with the other two Joes on the couch. "Where are the two idiots now?"

Beach Head sighed. "Unfortunately, probably on their way here after they shower. Should we warn her?" He felt sorry for Lady Jaye since he truly believed she hadn't asked for any of this. If she had, well, that would be a different story, but according to Courtney, she had discouraged both of them several times and from what he could tell, she acted the professional any time he saw her.

Courtney signaled to Shana, and they put their heads together for a few minutes. When they surfaced, they saw it was too late as Xamot made his way into the room. Of course, he zeroed in on Allie the moment he entered and his eyes narrowed as he saw her lay her head on Ace's shoulder, laughing at something he was saying.

The girls exchanged a look and decided to run interference.

"Dave," cooed Courtney, grabbing one arm, and Shana the other, "have we showed you this over here?"

"Ladies," acknowledged Xamot, not wanting to be rude, but finding it hard to hide his irritation. "I need to…"

Shana spoke in a low voice. "Unless you want every male in this room to beat you senseless, you might want to come with us."

That got his attention. He chuckled. "While I highly doubt that would be possible, I am yours for the moment. What is it you wish to speak to me about?"

They led him to the hall, away from listening ears.

"Listen," began Shana, "we know you have a thing for Allie, and that's fine, really," she lied. "However, if you haven't noticed, she's kinda over it. As in, she is worried about her job being in jeopardy if she is seen fraternizing with a Joe, not to mention one who was formerly Cobra. You're not helping the situation. You want to see her in trouble?"

Courtney picked up on Shana's story. "Yeah, and we know you wouldn't want anything _bad_ to happen to her, right? So, just play it cool for awhile, okay? Trust us, we want what's best for Allie, and if that's the two of you, well, you just have to be patient, capiche?"

He smiled charmingly at the two women. "You are good friends to her, I know. It's nice you're concerned for her, but she has already made up her mind. As soon as this assignment is over, she is coming home with me. She's already agreed," he said smoothly, fully believing his own words.

The two exchanged worried glances. Shana shrugged and tried another tactic.

"Well, until that happens, it's best if you lie low. You can't be jumping on her every time she talks to another male. She had that type of relationship before and she absolutely hated it! You wouldn't want her to repeat that, right?" she asked innocently, knowing full well the animosity that existed between Flint and Xamot, and how he would know exactly who she was talking about. "It would definitely drive her away."

He stood thoughtful for a moment. "You may be right. Thank you for your insight, ladies, but she and I will be fine." He nodded to the two and continued into the Rec room.

"We tried," Shana muttered to Courtney, who was definitely looking put out.

"How much longer do we have to put up with him?" Courtney snorted. "At first, I thought it was nice, she had someone who really doted on her, but now, it's like we've entered some sort of nightmare!"

"I'm inclined to Wayne's suggestion. Of course, that might happen sooner than later," Shana said pointedly, watching Flint walk towards them.

"Well, shit," Courtney said, echoing Shana's thoughts. "There goes the evening." She went to go find her boyfriend.

They entered the room and saw by Ace's grin that things had already started. Allie was already looking ready to spit nails, her eyes narrowed at Xamot.

"Outside!" she said in a low, controlled voice, which her friends recognized as dangerous.

Knowing she had an audience following her, she switched to Corsu and proceeded to tell Xamot exactly what she thought of his possessiveness and over attentiveness. Courtney and Gung Ho were able to pick up on part of the conversation with their knowledge of French and took turns flinching and chuckling at what they could understand.

"Oh boy, it's getting hot in here!" Courtney muttered to Gung Ho, who chuckled again. "What did she call his mother again?"

Flint stood with an amused look on his face, arms crossed, watching the scene. He should've known Allie's temper would flare up, and he was glad it wasn't aimed at him.

He should've known better. As soon as she took a breath, she turned and spotted him, and laid into him.

"And you! We're supposed to be working together as a team, and you two keep going at it! I have a mind to hand you both a toothbrush and have you scrub the entire base, including the bathrooms!"

She turned to Beach Head, her green eyes flashing and chest heaving. Several Joes thought she looked pretty damn hot at the moment, but were too afraid to say anything aloud, not wanting her anger turning on them. Even Ace clammed up. "I think a week of that is appropriate punishment for this type of childish behavior, don't you agree?"

Beach Head grinned. "I certainly do! I can throw in some extra PT if you'd like."

"That works for me. As for the rest of you," she said, addressing the crowd around the doorway, "I hope you enjoyed the show but it's over for now. Need I remind you Wayne is expecting you bright and early at PT!"

Shana and Courtney looked at one another. "You grab the ice cream, I think I have some chocolate in my office. I saw some Rocky Road the other day in the freezer. Oh, and three spoons!" Shana told Courtney. "Meet you in her room ASAP?"

Courtney nodded, rushing off to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Allie had stormed off, embarrassed by her lack of control, but still furious with the display the two had put on for too long. She hadn't missed the money exchanging hands and Ace's grin during her outburst. Let them have their amusement because it was over for now. She wasn't going to let a man make a fool of her again and by god, if she had to swear all of them off, she would!

She bypassed her room for a place she had discovered the other day when she had been hiding out from Xamot. She felt a little foolish shimmying up the ladder in the narrow closet, but once she reached the roof, she found the view was well worth it. She let out a long breath and simply stared up at the skies. There had always been something about looking at the stars that had always comforted her. The nights when she had been away from her family, from her dad, she would stare up at the sky, knowing he would be doing the same. He had always told her that no matter how far apart they were, they could always look up at the same stars, the same sky, and be together.

A tear streamed down her cheek, and she absentmindedly wiped it away with the back of her hand. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, in private, thank god, she thought. What kind of second in command would she be if she cried at the drop of a hat, especially about her love life, or lack of it? It was probably one of the reasons you didn't see too many females in charge, she thought. She didn't want to give anyone any reasons why she couldn't do this job.

At least it was almost over, she thought. Hawk had told her after this next mission, things would get back to normal, and she couldn't wait. She was tired of leading Dave on and despite her attraction to him, she wasn't in love with him. No, her traitorous heart leaned somewhere else.

She tried not to indulge in self-pity, but there were times like this, looking out at the vast sky, that she felt so alone. She didn't want to talk to Courtney and Shana about it. They would just feel guilty they had someone, and she was happy for them. She just didn't think there was someone out there for her anymore. There were times when she ached for a husband, children of her own, but she guessed it just wasn't in the cards for her.

She heard a movement and felt a rise of irritation that someone would intrude on her solitude. It was the one place she thought the others might not be aware of, but on a base like this, she should've realized that there was no private place.

She closed her eyes to compose herself before confronting the interloper. Instead, she felt strong arms surround her, and she turned and buried her head in the strong, familiar chest. She couldn't hold it in any longer.

He let her cry it out, as much as it pained him. He had found this spot a while ago and had watched her, at another time, escape to its heights. When he had first found it, he had thought of her. She had always gravitated towards spots like this, and he remembered the story she had once shared with him about her father and the stars.

He had always felt helpless when she let go like this. It was rare, since she often kept a tight control over these types of emotions. He knew when he had heard she had lost it outside the Rec room she would need this. No one knew her as well as he did, and probably no one ever would.

He let them sink down to the roof, and he pulled her back so that she was leaning into him, and just held her as she grew quiet. Resting his head on top of hers, he held her tight. He knew she didn't need meaningless words right now. She just needed to know she was supported and cared for.

"I'm sorry," she began in a hoarse voice, but he shook his head.

"No, you needed this. Things have gotten really crazy lately. I'm surprised you've held it in this long."

She sighed. "I didn't mean to lose it tonight. God knows what everyone else is thinking."

"Shhh. Everyone knows the situation and that you didn't cause it. No one thinks any less of you. I swear, you're probably the most popular leader the Joes have had," he teased. "Makes me kinda jealous."

"I still feel foolish, even if this was all an act. I'm ready for this assignment to be over."

"Me too. It won't be much longer. Things will get easier, once everyone knows the truth."

She sighed. "I hope so." She leaned into his arms, feeling safe and warm. She knew it wouldn't last, that she would have to go back to reality sooner or later, but for now, she wanted this, needed this.

He kissed the top of her head and just held on, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. He would be glad when this was all over as well.


	20. Chapter 20

"You were supposed to go with me," he pouted, like a small child not getting his way. "What happened?"

Lady Jaye sighed. "Something's come up that only I can handle. You'll be in good hands with the team you're with. It's pretty simple. You're meeting up with your brother in the guise of checking in at the bank. Feed him the information and that's it. It's pretty simple. In fact, Hawk thinks you should remain there, to help your cover, and we'll set up a communicator for you, so you can contact us."

Xamot frowned. "This wasn't in the original plan."

She shrugged. "Things change. This is the best plan to place you in the least amount of jeopardy."

He thought about that. While he wanted her with him, his safety was worth far more than hers.

He nodded. "Fine, then. I accept, as long as you promise me you'll visit once you get things taken care of."

She nodded, trying not to breathe a sigh of relief. He had bought it. Good. Her team's job was to back up his escorts, to make sure it wasn't a trap. He wouldn't know that, however.

"Okay then. I need to go and get everything set up. Be packed and ready to go in an hour."

She left him, feeling a weight lifting off her shoulders the further she walked away from him. While their brief fling had been a nice diversion, and had been right for that time, the past few weeks had been pure hell for her. She was ready to fling off that part of her life and start anew.

"It's almost over, then," Duke commented as he and Allie observed the escort team enter the bank. "I bet you're glad!"

Allie nodded, not saying anything. While she would like to think Dave was innocent, her gut told her differently. She should've known he would never completely separate from his brother, and was glad that they had used him as much as he had tried to use them.

She said as much to Duke, who agreed. He spoke in the communicator to the covert team inside the bank. Allie spotted a movement and called the team watching the back of the bank.

"Flint, I see some movement coming your way. Be careful."

"These are some well dressed snakes," she heard Gung Ho mutter from his watch inside the bank.

Allie glanced at Duke and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What do you see to your left?"

"Well I'll be damned," he muttered. "That wouldn't be…?"

"Looks like the head snake, er, son, himself. Complete with mask." She shook her head, then spoke to all teams. "It's time to chop off the head of the snake, ladies and gentlemen."

So, it had been a trap, she thought through narrowed eyes as the teams moved into position. She should've known. She was glad she hadn't given into her self-pity and indulged in a little "recreation" with Xamot after all. She'd be feeling pretty foolish right about now, she knew.

It was Gung Ho's team's job to get all the innocents out of the bank safely before the battle began. Courtney pulled the fire alarm, figuring that was a quick way to evacuate everyone who wasn't involved. As the customers and tellers came pouring out, the Joes broke their way in.

Cobra was obviously prepared. The "customers" who had stayed threw off their disguises and produced guns, and a firefight ensued. It was soon pretty clear that neither side was going anywhere.

"Any bright ideas?" Lady Jaye was sandwiched in between Duke and Flint. "I've got an EMP, but don't really want to use it unless necessary," she said, "and not really sure if it's going to make any difference."

Flint studied the situation through narrowed eyes. This was his area, and he knew Allie was depending on him to come up with a plan.

He quickly laid out a plan for the two, who agreed it was the best course of action. Allie bit her lip, he noticed, a sign she was worried. "Are you sure this will work? I want to get out of this with as few casualties as possible. We hadn't anticipated full scale engagement."

Duke laid a hand on her knee. "Trust him, Al. It sounds risky, but I think it'll work." He nodded at his friend, who was distracted by the placement of Duke's hand.

She turned to Flint, knowing she needed to leave personal feelings aside and trust him. "Then, let's do it. Just be careful, okay? We can't afford any more casualties," she noted, looking over to where Gung Ho was hastily wrapping Roadblock's shoulder.

Flint nodded, glared at Duke who still had his hand on her knee, then shook his head to focus on the current situation.

Duke, realizing why his friend was giving him an evil look, grinned, but removed his hand. Allie was oblivious to the interaction between the two, communicating the plan to the other Joe teams.

It had been risky, but Flint's plan worked and they managed to get out, alive, from the death trap of a bank. It had definitely been a trap, and if they had sent in the escort team in alone…no telling what would have happened.

Gung Ho was upset. "That damn traitorous snake managed to slip through our fingers," he grumbled, referring to Xamot. "Not to mention I had the head one in my sights, but missed!"

Lady Jaye reassured him. "It's okay. Believe it or not, things all worked according to plan." She glanced over at Duke, who had overheard and was nodding his head in agreement.

She was suddenly exhausted. Right now, she just wanted to get her teams home and let things get back to normal. Well, the new normal, she thought vaguely.

She tripped over something, and Duke managed to catch her in time. "Responsibility weighs heavy, doesn't it?" he said sympathetically. "You did a good job, Al," he told her in a sincere voice. "I'm proud of you."

She smiled wearily at him. "Thanks. Oh, and thanks again for the other night," she said softly, blushing, embarrassed she had broken down like that. She realized she was still in his arms, and stepped back.

He gave her a smile and ruffled her hair. "Anytime. I've been where you are and I have to say, I'm not sure if I want to go there again. Then again," he teased, "I didn't have quite the problem you did this time."

She smiled. "No, not that I can remember. So, are you sticking around for awhile, or are you moving on soon?"

He sighed. "I have to say, I'm not sure. My orders were to monitor and report." He shrugged. "They'll let me know when they need me to move on."

Flint stood, unnoticed, within hearing distance of the two as the other Joes packed up their transport and got ready to leave. He was frowning, wondering what exactly the two were talking about. He hadn't liked the familiar way Duke had acted around Allie. He knew they had been close before, but it had never been….physical. He shook his head. He was being paranoid, looking too much into it. It wasn't like his best friend would steal his girl, right? Still, he had to wonder why she had blushed when she had talked about the "other night."

"Well, at least the tracker's in place," Lady Jaye said softly to Duke. "We'll soon find out where the base is located. Breaker's already started the program."

Duke chuckled. "Yeah, remind me to leave that out of my report. I don't think Washington wants to hear how you drugged the guy and implanted a chip in him one night." He shook his head, amused. "I honestly didn't think Hawk had it in him, the old dog. You've definitely changed him," he told her.

She shook her head. "No, that was all his idea. I think my cousins, however, with their, um, product placement, tend to give him too many ideas," she chuckled.


	21. Chapter 21

"Well, it looks like the future of GI Joe is secure, now that we have evidence of Cobra's operations," Flint spoke later that day, back at the base. "I just talked to my contacts at the CIA and since we've verified the existence of Cobra, they're more than willing to talk budget now."

Hawk frowned. He, Duke, Flint, and Lady Jaye were in his office, going over the success of the mission.

"I thought you would be happy about that," said Duke, noticing his former commander's expression.

"Well, that is good news, but…" he wondered how to say it. He knew, even with the two men being "watchdogs" that he could be frank in front of them with no repercussions.

Lady Jaye spoke up. "What Hawk means to say is we kind of like being on our own, without any outside influence. Now that they have the budget to loom over our heads, they'll want us to jump through their hoops." She shrugged, knowing exactly how Hawk felt.

Flint frowned. "So, what, are you saying you'd rather be what, a rogue group?"

Hawk and Lady Jaye's eyes met. "No, we're not saying that," they lied at the same time.

Hawk cleared his throat. "No, I guess what Allie and I mean is that being beta testers for MARS has had more benefits than I could have imagined. Once Washington steps in, we'd have to forego that contract, I'm sure."

Duke rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not so sure. It's still money that has the loudest voice, even in the military. You might be able to continue your deal, and not having to worry about nickel and pennies they hold over your head….I very well remember the old days of GI Joe when they threatened us with pulling the budget, and the crap they sent us there at the end."

They all sat, lost in thought, remembering. Allie stole a glance at Flint, and saw he was watching her. She blushed, looking away quickly, upset that she had been caught.

He tried not to smile. If she was blushing, that was a good sign. Well, anything not a glare nowadays was a good sign, he thought wryly. It had helped that he had seemed more a team player lately, and his daring plan on their mission had been a success. If he had more time, could he finally win her over? He wasn't sure, but he wasn't opposed to trying.

Duke moved over and slung his arm around Allie. Flint frowned, wondering again why the two seemed so cozy all of a sudden.

"I'm not sure if I want to know what the two of you are thinking, but you have my support. Just keep me in the dark, so I don't get raked over the coals for it," he chuckled.

The two men left, leaving Hawk and Lady Jaye to talk.

"What do you think?" he asked her.

She frowned. "I think we can trust them. I mean, if we couldn't, we'd probably be busted by now. Bringing Duke in on some of the details is fine. I can't see him being too loyal to anyone in DC, considering our past with them. Flint, however….well, he's always been a black or white guy. He has a hard time seeing gray areas and while I can't see him blowing the whistle on us to the CIA, it's best to not be too open in front of him."

He nodded, glad they were on the same mindset.

"What now?" she asked him.

He rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache. "Well, now we start to change our focus from simply observing to more engagement. We'll need to recruit others, but I'd still like to stick to specialists. It all depends on what Washington believes is our mission. Are we merely intelligence and covert operations, or are we more engagement? There are enough teams out there today that could handle the engagement, but I would like to keep it all in the same family. I can't see us handing off our information so that it can be manhandled by another division," he said bitterly, knowing it had happened before. "I can see asking Duke to resume his position in charge of troops, Flint as our strategist. Those two work well together."

He leaned forward. "I don't want you to think, in any way, that this replaces what you do. You're still my second, and will remain so. However, since my days of being in the field are pretty much over," he said dryly, "you'll be my eyes and ears out there. I trust you to make the decisions for me, if needed."

"Thanks," she said gratefully. "I'll try not to let you down."

He cleared his throat. "I'd like you to talk to your cousins, see what their take is on us keeping the contract we have. We'll see what we can work around with Washington. I might have to send you there as well," he gruffed, and she nodded, understanding perfectly what he meant. Even in the Pentagon, her family's influence could be felt. She didn't like doing it, but if it would help them out, it was worth it.

He was silent for a moment, looking out the window at several Joes who were on the training field. "I'm going to have to go recruiting. I'd appreciate any advice on that, as well, if you have anyone in mind. I've a mind to send Duke and Flint, but I think we'd rather hand pick our team," he stated, turning back to her. "So, since both of us will be gone, we'll have to leave someone in charge until one of gets back. I've a good mind to say Duke, although I'm tempted to take him with me, wanting to know his opinion as well."

She knew what he was waiting for. She tried not to sigh. "If Flint's in charge, I think things will go okay. He really proved himself to the team on this last mission. They're used to following orders from him from before so…," she shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid.

"Okay, it's settled then," said Hawk, setting down the pencil he had been fiddling with. "I'll call the boys in here and have a talk with them first, then we'll call a meeting to update the group on our latest direction."

"When do you want me to leave?"

He frowned. "I'd like you there at the meeting, but we need to jump on this opportunity." He paused, thinking. "Would you be comfortable leaving right after?"

She smiled, nodding. She had always enjoyed flying at night.

He let a slow breath. "Okay, well, that's settled," he repeated himself. "Let the boys know I need to see them."

She left his office, deciding Breaker probably was the best person to help her find someone on base. Not much escaped his attention.

She didn't have to go that far. She spotted the two, their heads together, discussing something in low voices. She frowned. She couldn't help but feel suspicious that they were hanging out in an empty hallway where they most likely wouldn't be overheard.

She sighed, telling herself to not be so paranoid. The two had worked well with the Joes since they came and she had no reason to think anything otherwise. Yes, they had their own agencies to report to, but she knew that Hawk trusted them, and her gut trusted them as well.

Duke was the first to look up and see her. He smiled, and she found herself smiling back. Flint glanced between the two of them and frowned, but neither noticed.

"Hawk needs to see both of you."

They nodded, and she turned and went back the way she came, having delivered her message. She made her way back to her room so she could get ready to leave. She was more than happy to go home and talk to her cousins. It gave her a chance to spend some time with family and frankly, she was a little ready to give GI Joe a break. Too much had happened in the short time she had been here, and she was starting to get cabin fever.

She picked up the cell phone her cousin had given her the last time she had seen him. Recognizing her thumbprint, it lit up. She left a message for her family that she would soon be on her way home. Grabbing her bag, she realized she felt happy, and that she hadn't felt that way in a long time. She wasn't sure if it was the anticipated trip home, or the fact that the "new normal" wasn't turning out to be so bad…or she could even attribute it to the fact that she still had her position within the organization. Either way, she found herself smiling as she entered the conference room.

"So, what's up?" Courtney said, sliding up next to her. "I haven't seen you look this happy in….well, it's been a long time."

Allie winked at her friend. "I'm going home."

Courtney looked startled, glancing at her bag.

Allie laughed, something she also hadn't done for awhile. "Not forever, silly! Just for awhile, to get some things done for Hawk, but I have to say, it's the kind of mission I really need right now."

Courtney nodded, understanding. "Well, I'm glad for you," she honestly told her friend. "It'll be good for you to get away for awhile."

Flint watched the two from his corner of the room. His heart had tripped when she laughed, realizing how much he missed the sound. She genuinely looks happy, he thought. He wondered what had caused it. He hadn't been sure how she would react to the news that he and Duke would once again assume leadership roles. Then again, she and Hawk had a close relationship, and he was sure the commander had run it by her before he talked to himself and Duke.

Hawk cleared his throat, and everyone took their seat, with Allie joining Hawk up front.

He filled the Joes in with what he and Lady Jaye had discussed. When he announced the new leadership roles, several glanced at Allie to see her reaction, but her expression remained pleasant.

Allie's thoughts kept wandering to her home. She missed part of Hawk's report, but since she already knew what he was going to say, it didn't matter, she thought.

Finally, everyone was dismissed. Hawk discussed a few more details with Allie before she was finally able to leave.

She was making her way to her jet when she felt the sensation of being watched. Turning, she saw Flint walking towards her. She frowned. What now? Glancing down at her cell phone, where she had just texted her cousin, she was just able to read his reply when Flint spoke.

"I just wanted to say thanks," he began, sensing her impatience. Glancing up, he commented, "Seems to be a clear night. I remember how you always like being up there, with the stars," he said with a small smile.

Okay, he's trying, she thought, so I might as well be polite.

"You're welcome. Listen, I don't mean to be rude, but I really…"

He stepped closer, and she almost took a step back, but decided to stand her ground.

"I liked hearing you laugh again," he told her in a soft voice. "You can't imagine how hearing that and seeing you smile, what it does to me."

She froze. Oh no, she was not going there. She opened her mouth to speak, but her words were muffled under his lips. She felt her body begin to respond and tried to pull back. He just held her tighter, in total control of the situation.

Finally, he released her, a smile playing on his lips. "Just something to send you off," he told her, turning and walking away, leaving her staring at him, stunned.


	22. Chapter 22

She wouldn't have believed anything could have spoiled her good mood, but it had. The nerve of him! she steamed as she did her preflight check. She felt manhandled and her lips felt bruised. Other than her one slip, she had kept him at a distance, and he knew exactly why.

Closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together. It's like he couldn't stand to see her happy without him, she frowned. Shaking it off, focusing on the fact that soon, she would be with family, she finished her preflight check.

She relaxed and enjoyed the flight, almost disappointed when her nav system indicated she was over her homeland. She was grateful the landing was uneventful. She took a moment to breathe in the fresh air.

"Cousin!"

Allie grinned, then was tackled by her family. Gone for the moment were the thoughts of heartbreak and work. Instead, she focused on her family reunion and the fact that she was finally home. She breathed in the Scottish air, and decided that tonight, it was about family. Business would come later.

_*Later That Evening….*_

"Let's raise a pint for me long lost cousin, who finally has returned home, if only for a visit!" Ian shouted out to the pub. Glasses were raised as Allie's face grew red.

"Shut up, Ian!" she answered good naturedly. She nodded her head at all the comments thrown out, laughing at some. She took a long sip and relaxed. This was what she had come for. She would have to talk to Hawk about making more visits, even if they were disguised as business with MARS. She pushed work from her mind and focused on her cousin Collum's young, pregnant wife, who had just entered with her husband.

"Mary!" she exclaimed, amazed at how big she had gotten since she had last seen her. The two embraced and Allie led her to the table. Not an easy feat, since the pub was overflowing with family and local townsfolk, most of whom Allie had known since childhood.

"I guess I don't need to ask what's new with you!" she teased Mary, glancing at her large abdomen. Mary laughed in response.

"At one time, we thought you'd be in this condition, you know," Mary told her, smiling. "Whatever happened to that young man you were so crazy about?"

She instantly regretted teasing her husband's cousin when she saw the look that flicked across her face. Oh, Allie hid it well, but she had still caught it.

Mary leaned forward, rubbing Allie's arm. "Sorry…I didna' know. Collum didna' tell me."

Allie shrugged. "It's okay. Really. It didn't work out and even though we've been forced together again through work, I think we're much better off apart."

Mary tsked. "So, you're not over him, then." Catching Allie's face, she confessed. "You're hiding it too well. Trust me, I know how it is," she said, putting a finger to the side of her nose. "Take your cousin and me."

Allie frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Ah, then, you never heard our story, then? Settle back then, grab your pint, and I'll tell ya."

Mary smiled gratefully at her husband as he brought her a cup of tea. "Collum, you've never told Allie here how we were split up?"

Collum shrugged, almost a mirror of Allie's earlier one. "It doesna' matter now." He leaned over and rubbed her bulging stomach, being rewarded by a kick from his unborn child. He shared a secret smile with his wife before he moved away to talk to someone else.

Allie found she was envious, almost jealous of the look of intimacy that passed between the two. She had thought she had that, at one time, before he had dropped the floor out from under her. Not that she wanted to start having kids right away, she quickly assured herself, but maybe, someday…it would have been nice.

Mary turned her attention back to Allie just in time to see the look on her face before it was masked again. She felt sorry for her. Everyone had liked the young man Allie had brought home with her several times, in her previous days with the US military group. After it disbanded, Allie had returned home, alone, and thrown herself into the work of keeping her estate up to snuff. She hadn't surfaced much at first, but then, with this family, Mary smiled, it wasn't possible to stay hidden. They had soon descended on her, and even though she wouldn't mention her time in the States, they had gotten her out of the slump she had descended into. Then, she had traveled for a bit, and would visit home infrequently, so no one really knew what was going on with her.

"Now, where was I? Oh yes, Collum and his stupid pigheaded ways," Mary chuckled.

"I canna believe you never heard of how he decided he couldn't bring me into his life, I believe it was about the time your uncle returned. Tried to take the cowardly way and leave me with a note saying since his family was shamed, he was not worthy of marrying me."

Mary shook her head, remembering. "What an idiot. Like my love would fade just because of something someone he was related to did. It makes no difference, does it?" she asked, not really needing an answer.

Allie nodded, her head on her hands, leaning forward to hear Mary in the noisy room.

"So," Allie began slowly, "you're saying it shouldn't matter your family background. If you truly love someone, it's that person."

Mary read her expression. "Oh dear, that's what he did, wasn't it? He knew of your mother, of course, and her relations, and then of course, there's your wild Scot family…..did he run, or did you?"

Allie sat her glass down a little harder than she intended. Wincing, she checked the glass and satisfied it didn't have any cracks as well as for the moment to collect herself, she answered. "He left. Said he knew I'd want to return to my old life, but the thing is, I had never mentioned that to him. In fact, I was expecting more of a proposal than a goodbye." She shrugged again, fighting tears, remembering.

Mary tsked again. "Oh, Alison, I am so sorry! And you say he's back again, now that your unit has reformed?"

Allie nodded, staring miserably at her glass.

Mary glanced around, knowing her friend wouldn't want her family to see her in such a mood.

"Come on," she said, grabbing Allie's arm and helping her up. "I feel like a walk. The babe's getting restless."

Allie let herself be led to the back door where the two escaped into the night air.

"It's a little chilly tonight," Allie said, noting the temperature, as well as the stillness of the night. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked Mary, concerned about her condition.

Mary waved her hand. "Never you mind me. The fresh air is good after all that male bonding in the pub!" She gave a little laugh. "Let's walk over to the pond and see if we can scare ourselves up some ducks, the way we used to when we were small."

Allie smiled, remembering.

"Now," Mary said, linking her arm with Allie's, "about this bum that ran out on you. Let me guess – is he acting sorry and wanting to be around you now?"

At Allie's nod, Mary snorted. "Typical male. Listen to me, Alison. You are a beautiful, strong woman with amazing talent! If this….creature…couldn't see who you were before and ran, my advice to you is to move on. I know it sounds easier than doing it, trust me. You think there's no one out there for you, and maybe there isn't, now, but there will be." She placed her fingers under Allie's chin and forced her to look at her. "Don't let yourself get sucked back into him."

She paused. "Lass, do you love him?" she asked softly.

Allie sighed. "I don't know. I think I'm over him, still angry with him, and then something he does softens me back up again." She shrugged, not sure what else to say. She felt a little better talking it out with Mary. Shana and Courtney would listen, but they were too involved in the situation, knowing both of them too well.

"Ah, lass, your heart's not going to heal overnight." She paused, then looked horror struck at Allie. "Surely you haven't been pining for him all these years then!"

Allie smiled. "No, I've had other lovers and affairs. The anger and emotion were still there, but not as fresh. It wasn't until this recent assignment, which he was not part of when I originally signed on. I didn't realize until I was face to face with him that everything was still there….all the hurt, anger, and love. But," she sighed, "the love is different. It's not what it once was. Almost like a shadow of it," she realized. She looked at Mary, who was smiling encouragingly at her.

"Not that you need to take my advice," Mary told her, "but I'd make sure he's getting clear signals from you and if he oversteps his bounds, well, isn't that what a knee is for?"

Allie laughed, envisioning the situation. "Not exactly, but I get your meaning."

She hugged her friend. "I didn't realize how much I needed to talk this out with someone who knew ME and not him. It's helped me gain a lot of insight."

Mary smiled, hugging her friend back. "Well, then, let's get back to the pub before the boys start destroying something!"


	23. Chapter 23

"So, it seems you and Mary had a nice chat the other night," Collum spoke nonchalantly, adjusting the settings on his newest gadget.

"Hmmm," was the only response from his cousin. Allie was watching the monitor, making sure it didn't spike into the orange zone as her cousin worked on his newest "toy."

"So," she began, changing the subject, "I do need to talk some business here. I'm not just sitting here for free labor, you know," she joked.

Collum nodded, squinted at her screen, and nodded. "The fact that your GI Joe is under government funding again?"

Allie sighed. "And you know this how?"

Collum grinned. "I have my ways. I take it Hawk wants to continue our contract?"

Allie nodded.

"Well, I have to say, it's been beneficial on both sides. First, I get to make sure my cousin isn't sidled with junk to work with," he teased, tweaking her on the nose which earned him a glare from her, "but also it's more economical for MARS to have you as betas." He shrugged. "Tell your Hawk we're willing to deal with him. I'm not so sure about the government, knowing how cheap they can be, but your unit won't need to worry."

"Well," he said, squinting at his project again, "that is, no need to worry as long as you're there. It's a contingency," he explained at her startled look. "Not that I see you leaving that place any time soon. Hell, you went running back to it when he called, didn't you? No, as long as you're in charge, I have no problem."

She could see his point. There had always been a strong sense of loyalty within her family, even to the point of forgiving (but not forgetting) her uncle's association with Cobra. She had made sure on her return that he hadn't been in touch with this resurgence, but she had been assured that he had not. Unbeknownst to her uncle, her cousins had been tracking him to make sure he stayed out of trouble. However, Uncle James seemed perfectly content to live once again in his castle and work for research and development within MARS.

"Hey, Al!" called her cousin Ian from the hallway. "You going to stay cooped up with boring Collum all day, or are you going to ride out with me to test this thing?" he said, sticking his head in the doorway and waving around what looked like ordinary sticks.

Collum frowned. "Should you be waving them around like that?"

Ian grinned. "Oh, they're safe, trust me. Now, if I activated it…."

"No!" Allie and Collum cried in unison, making Ian's grin grow wider.

"How dense do you think I am? Never mind that! Come on, Al, let's go have some fun."

She laughed, letting her cousin drag her out of the building. Now that her "mission goal" had been accomplished, it was time to relax and play a little.


	24. Chapter 24

She felt relaxed and content when she returned to the Joe base. She had good news for Hawk, and with Mary's advice fresh in her head, she had a plan in place, in case she needed it.

She was surprised to find Hawk and Duke in her office when she made her way there.

"How did the recruiting go?" she asked Hawk, settling into one of the chairs. Her office wasn't that big, and with the three of them, it seemed even smaller.

He grunted, which she took to mean he hadn't had much success. She turned to Duke, who was looking at her, smiling.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Nothing. I mean, you look….happy," he told her. "The trip home must've done some good."

She smiled. "You make me sound like I was a real bitch before!"

Duke stammered. "I just meant you look more relaxed…it's not that you weren't happy…."

Hawk placed a hand on his third in command's shoulder, which had Duke clamming up. He looked gratefully at his CO.

Allie leaned over and spontaneously squeezed Duke's hand. "It's okay. I was teasing. It has been kind of stressful lately and it was nice to get away and spend time with family. It put things into perspective," she said, glancing at Hawk, who nodded. She'd need to talk to him later about the further conversation she and Collum had.

Hawk cleared his throat. "We did see some talent that might fit well into our unit. I think first we need to find the gaps we have now with our specialists and focus on that. Then, we have our list that we can fill, rather than just trying to fill it with bodies."

She nodded, realizing it made sense.

"I'd like you and Duke to work on that together," continued Hawk. "Have something on my desk by tomorrow." He got up and nodded goodbye to the two before he walked out, closing the door behind him.

Allie looked at Duke who shrugged. "He didn't say we had to stay on base. There's a new steak place in town that Wayne mentioned to me. We could grab a legal pad, couple pens, and have a "business" dinner, right?" He smiled at her.

She laughed. "Sure. Uncle Sam's footing the bill?"

Duke shrugged again. "He can pay me back later. My treat, for tonight. You can get next time."

"Wow, a chance to wear civilian clothes, so soon," she teased. "Considering I dressed in jeans and t-shirts mostly while I was at home, working around the house and factory, do you mind if I dress it up a bit?"

"Sure! Wayne said the dress code was nice, so I think that'll be good. I'll meet you in," he glanced at his watch, "two hours at the garage? We can take my car."

She couldn't help but feel a little excited, although she wasn't sure why. "Sure," she replied. "Sounds like a date!" she teased, then found herself blushing, although she didn't know why. Fortunately, he didn't notice and took it like the joke she meant it to be.

Lady Jaye found it difficult to focus on her paperwork as she mentally worked her way through her closet to determine what she'd wear tonight. She wanted to look nice, but not desperate. She frowned. Why would she look desperate? Duke had always been a good friend, almost like a brother to her. It was a dinner to get off base to discuss business. At least she had been with family. Poor Duke hadn't been on a "break" since he got here!

In the middle of typing a sentence, she paused, her mind focusing on a simple black dress she had which she knew would be perfect. Its simple lines were classic, but not too formal, and had a conservative scooped neck. Not too sexy. Not that it mattered, she told herself, frowning, forcing herself to focus on the report she was typing.

She sighed. It was no use. Why a simple steak dinner had her so excited, she had no clue why. Pushing back from her desk, she decided she might as well go and get ready. She glanced at her watch, realizing an hour had already gone by. She would make good use of the time she had left getting ready, she decided. A little pampering never hurt a girl.


	25. Chapter 25

He surprised her. Few people did.

She murmured her thanks as he opened her door, helping her into his Acura. He smiled at her as he settled into the driver's seat.

"This is nice," he announced. "I haven't been off base for awhile, and the way Wayne kept raving over this place's food…well, I'm just glad you were able to get away with me," he told her with a smile.

Allie settled comfortably in her seat, surprised by how smooth the ride was. Well, she was surprised by the whole bit, she thought. She would never have pegged this car as something Duke would own. It was classy, she decided - not that he wasn't, but, she thought him more the SUV type of guy.

"You look really nice," he continued, glancing over at her as they drove down the road. She really did, he thought. The black jersey dress she had chosen flattered her and projected a more feminine side, more than her uniform ever did, he thought.

She placed a hand on his arm and returned his smile. "You don't clean up so bad, yourself," she said, going for a light tone. He DID look pretty hot, she thought, and realized it was rare she saw him in anything but his Joe uniform. Tonight, he had taken the time to put on a coat and tie, and somehow, matched the car he was driving. It made her realize she didn't really know much about Conrad at all. Duke, her friend and buddy, the one who she had always been able to confide in both professionally and personally, was still there, she knew, but she was intrigued by this side of him.

He handed her a piece of paper. "I know it's not too far," he said in an apologetic tone, "but Wayne said it could be tricky to find. If you want to plug the address into the nav system, I'd appreciate it. I didn't have time to do it before we left."

Allie studied the screen in front of her before selecting a couple options. She typed in the address, leaning forward to press enter. She couldn't help but smile when she smelled Conrad's cologne, realizing he had showered before meeting her. The scent suited him, something subtle but spicy. She inhaled, then realized what she was doing and sat back in her seat. This was her buddy – she didn't need to be having thoughts like that about him! It was a simple steak dinner between two friends and coworkers – definitely NOT a date! She was through with men, remember? she scolded herself.

"So, how was home?" asked Duke, breaking the silence between them.

She smiled. "Good. I got a chance to combine business with seeing my family, which is always good. Kind of a mini-break. Hawk will like the fact that they want to continue the contract, and my cousin says he knows ways around Washington, if we need to look in that direction."

Realizing who she was talking to, forgetting that he WAS one of them, she blushed. "Sorry," she murmured.

He laughed. "Not a problem. I promise it won't go beyond this car!"

"Did you and Hawk find anyone you think might work out?"

"A few potentials," he answered, shrugging. "We'll have to see. Hawk really wants your input, so we made some tapes of the interviews. He sets a lot by your opinion, you know," he told her, glancing over.

"He's just considerate of how things are run, that's all. I'm sure he did the same with you and Flint back in the old days."

Duke coughed, embarrassed. "Not really," he admitted. "I mean, we had our input on things, but it's like he doesn't want to make a step without you. Has he talked to you yet about taking over?" he joked.

Allie stuck her tongue out at him and laughed. Duke turned the car, stopping in front of the rustic looking steak house.

She was pleased when he helped her out of the car, placing a hand at her back as they walked into the place. He gave them his name for the reservation, and they were immediately shown to their seats. While the place was busy, the tables were set up for a more intimate atmosphere.

She enjoyed her time with him. The food was everything Wayne had promised, and finally, over coffee, they pulled out the legal pad and began to discuss business.

She moved her chair closer to his to look over what he had written so far.

Pointing at one of the positions, she frowned. "I think we need more of a…." she paused, thinking. "Well, what do you think of an IT Specialist? We have a lot of technical equipment, and that position would come into play a lot more than it used to."

He nodded in agreement, turning to look at her. He hadn't realized she had leaned so close in and she was only a breath away. They both pulled back, embarrassed.

She had thought for a moment he was going to kiss her. Silly, she berated herself. What on earth are you thinking? This is Duke!

He had a moment's insanity, wanting to lean in closer to her and….He shook his head, clearing the thought. Best not to go there. This was one of his closest friends, not to mention Dash's ex-girlfriend – one who Dash hoped, he had confided to Duke, would become his girl again.

Plus, Allie was his buddy, always had been. Even in the days when she and Dash were so wrapped up in each other that no one could break them apart, they had been good friends. He had listened to her vent and had comforted her when times had been tough. She had done the same for him as well.

No, his mind didn't need to be going there, he thought.

She laid a hand on his shoulder and he brought his mind back to the present. Without thinking, he laid his hand on top of hers.

"So, other than an IT, anything else you want to add?" he asked her, absentmindedly rubbing her hand.

She shook her head, distracted by the smooth motion.

They both heard the music and noticed the band warming up.

Duke chuckled. "I can't see Wayne hitting the dance floor, can you?"

She laughed as well. "Maybe if Courtney got him drunk enough…..I'm sure there would be a lot of Joes that would pay to see it happen!"

They listened as the band swung into their first number. Allie found her foot tapping to the beat. She hadn't danced in a long time, she thought wistfully.

Duke must have read the expression on her face, because he stood up, offering his hand. "Want to?" he asked her.

Surprised, she nodded, putting her hand in his, following him to the small dance floor where already several couples had taken advantage of the music.

He had to admit, he hadn't danced for a long time, but found his natural rhythm soon enough. Allie was a nice fit in his arms, and she moved with a natural grace.

He isn't half bad, she thought, pleased, enjoying herself.

"So, how come this isn't in your resume?" she teased him when the music slowed down for the next song.

"It isn't something I usually advertise," he told her with a smile. "I can't imagine how it would come in use slugging through swamps and jungles. Mom insisted all the boys take ballroom dancing. It was embarrassing at the time, but," he paused, twirling her around, "it comes in handy now and then."

"Well, way to go, Mom!" she murmured, liking the feel of his hand at the small of her back. "She's a very smart lady!"

He chuckled. "I'll tell her you said that, next time I call."

They danced a few more songs before the band took a break. Allie was sorry to see the evening end, but they both knew it was time to return back to the base.

He helped her out of the car at the garage, chuckling at something she had said to him.

"This looks cozy," commented Courtney, sliding out from under a jeep she was working on.

"Business dinner," Allie said breezily.

Duke nodded. "Covert mission to the steak house."

Courtney grinned. "So Wayne finally got you there, huh? It's a great place! Food's good, and the band is always decent. Too bad I can't get him to dance," she said with a frown. Shrugging, she pulled herself back under. "I'll tell him you had a good time," her voice echoed from underneath the jeep.

She couldn't wait to tell Shana about this, Courtney grinned wickedly, knowing they couldn't see her. Things were starting to get interesting.


	26. Chapter 26

It wasn't until a few days later that Lady Jaye realized she hadn't seen Flint around the base since her return. Granted, she had been trying to avoid him, but after he had "surprised" her before she left for Scotland, she knew he'd end up finding her eventually.

She **had** been busy, reviewing video of some of the recruits Hawk and Duke had been considering. She and Duke had been spending a lot of time together in her office, going over details and resumes of possible recruits, making a final list.

It wasn't until she talked with Shana that she found out Flint had been called back by the CIA and no one knew when he'd be back, only that he would return at some point, since the agency hadn't appointed another watchdog to the Joe assignment.

"So," began Shana, settling herself on Allie's sofa with the huge bowl of popcorn they had just made for their weekly girls' night. "I hear you had a date this week!"

"That's news to me!" Allie retorted, looking at Courtney, who grinned.

"Oh come on, I just told Shana!"

"Yeah, and Wayne, and then Shana told her husband….considering all the time Conrad and I've spent together lately, doing WORK," she emphasized, "who knows what everyone's thinking!"

Courtney gave Allie a look. "Seriously, just Shana. I wouldn't do that to you! Plus, after seeing that dress, I was wondering if I could borrow it? Granted, it won't look the same on me as on you, but hey, it's worth a try!"

Allie laughed. "Nicely put. It was just dinner, a way to get out to do some work without getting interrupted. Definitely NOT a date. Conrad and I don't feel that way about each other!" she protested. "We're just good friends. Trust me!"

Shana and Courtney exchanged a look.

"Hey, we just want to see you happy. Whatever you say is fine!" Shana told her. "Conrad's a nice guy, and you can't do much better…."

"No. Don't even start," Allie sighed. "I have given up on men, especially those that work with GI Joe. End of discussion. Let's start the movie. What did you bring this time, Courtney?"

Courtney grinned, knowing since it was her turn, the other two would have to suffer through one of her syrupy romance flicks. "You know you're closet romantics," she began, but the rest of her sentence was covered with groans and a few thrown pillows. Laughing, Courtney pressed "play."

"So, what's up between you and Allie?" asked Ace, forcing a casual tone in his voice. He squinted, lining up his shot.

Duke leaned against his pool cue, watching. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice neutral.

Ace took his shot. He grinned when one of the balls went in the corner pocket. He flicked a glance at Duke, noting his bland expression. The guy always was hard to read, he thought, mentally shaking his head. His next shot was a miss and he waited, patient, knowing the question was still hanging in the air.

Duke lined up his shot, hesitated, then took it, knocking two of his balls in. With a satisfied smile, he studied the table.

"Well," began Ace, deciding to dig a little deeper. Hell, he might as well see how far he could go. "I've just noticed the two of you spending an awful lot of time together lately. You know, closed up in her office. And," he continued, watching Duke take his next shot, "she DOES seem a lot happier lately."

Duke sighed, facing Ace. "Other than the fact that we're working on a project together, there's nothing….up….with us. We're just good friends, that's all."

Ace grinned. Slapping Duke on the back, he shook his head. "Look, I've been there. I know how irresistible she is. Hell, if she and Flint hadn't been so tight back in the old days, I would've taken another shot at her. Not that she would consider it," he laughed. "She knows me too well. Don't get me wrong – she makes a great friend, but she's a hell of a lover!"

Duke frowned. It was just he and Ace in the room, but he didn't like how he was talking about Allie.

"You do realize you're talking about your CO," he reminded Ace in a clipped voice.

"Well, yeah, but it's just us," he answered, trying not to grin at Duke's tone. "Look, I wouldn't blame you if you were interested in Allie. She's a great girl, and she needs a strong guy. Dash couldn't handle it in the end," Ace shrugged. "Not that I'm trying to hook her up or anything, but if you're interested, I could put in a good word."

Duke closed his eyes and prayed for patience. "Look, Brad, it's not that I don't think she's great, but I know neither one of us is looking for anything right now. So, let's just play some pool. I'd rather talk about the football game last night."

Ace chuckled. Oh man, he thought, he's got it bad. Shana was right. This was something he'd definitely be keeping his eye on.


	27. Chapter 27

"So, what do you think of the new recruits?"

Lady Jaye glanced up at Hawk from where she had been studying a file about one of the females….an IT Specialist.

She shrugged. "From what I can tell, they're doing pretty well. We'll see if they can make it through the week, especially when Beach Head gets hold of them," she said with a small grin. "Then we'll find out what we're dealing with!"

Hawk sat back in his chair, watching her. "I hear the IT is doing pretty well. The garage has already named her "Gadget," since she can fix just about anything, and carries a lot of tools around." He chuckled. "She even helped me when my laptop froze. Not sure what she did, but it's never worked so fast before! Apparently, she has several ideas about the direction we can go in. She's even mentioned having a friend she corresponds with over at MARS," he told her pointedly.

That got Lady Jaye's attention. She hadn't spent much time with the recruits, other than greeting them when they first arrived. She had been too busy with preparing for the latest mission.

"Who would that be?"

Hawk chuckled. "Thought that would get your attention. Not sure. You should talk to her. Her ideas have merit, and if we can get her working with your company…well, we all know the benefits of our continued relationship."

"I'll talk to her," Jaye replied, making a mental note. "Any other standouts?"

"Not as much as Gadget," Hawk replied.

"Hmm. Well, Duke should be here any minute so we can lay out the specs for the next mission. Thanks to the transmitter we placed in Xamot, we've located what we believe to be Cobra's base."

She hesitated to bring it up, but knew she needed to, for her own piece of mind. "I know only a select few know about the transmitter….and Duke can be trusted, but I wasn't sure who else knew besides…"

Hawk nodded, knowing exactly what she was referring to. "That was our own move, and the CIA has no knowledge of it, nor did their….agent, since it was so controversial. We kind of bent the rules on that one," he chuckled. "Flint left because they needed him for some assignment. We're not sure if he's coming back, but they haven't sent a replacement, so either they feel we no longer need to be watched, or his assignment with us isn't over yet," he added, gauging her for a reaction. Her face remained impassive.

There was a knock on the door and Duke entered. He gave a quick smile to the two in the room before settling in the chair next to Lady Jaye.

"Have you gone over anything yet?" he asked her, but she shook her head.

"I was waiting on you," she told him, crossing her arms and looking at him. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

He nodded, then turned to a confused Hawk.

"Okay, so we've been monitoring the tracking device with Breaker's help. We pulled him into this assignment, along with his rookie, Gadget. We haven't told her where the chip is located, for security purposes. We want to assemble a small team and check out several areas that Xamot has been frequenting…purely recon teams. No engagement until we know what we're dealing with. We'll want a team on standby, though, just in case. We'll talk to Wayne about speeding up the recruits training."

Duke pulled out a map and pointed to several areas marked with red circles. "We'll send teams here, here, and here. I figure both Lady Jaye and I can lead teams, as well as Snake Eyes. That way, we cover more ground in less time."

Hawk glanced at his second, and saw she was in agreement. He was pleased with how well the two of them were working together. He had heard about the "not date" they had gone on to the steak house, presumably to discuss recruiting. While he hadn't observed anything unprofessional between the two, he did wonder if something else was growing between them. Working together in close quarters, he wouldn't be surprised.

He had always been disappointed that Flint hadn't been strong enough to deal with Lady Jaye on a personal level. They had complimented one another out on the field, and he had thought that chemistry had extended beyond, but apparently it was not to be. He secretly wished Allie would find someone who would make her happy, but maybe that rested outside the realm of GI Joe, he thought with a mental shrug.

The three discussed the mission a little longer before settling on specifics they all agreed on.

Lady Jaye was secretly pleased that the others deferred to her for the more covert aspects of the mission, since that was her specialty. In the past, she had always had input, but not in the initial phase.

The two left Hawk's office together, and Lady Jaye mentioned to Duke what Hawk had said about the new IT and her connection with MARS. "Think we need to pursue that?" she asked him quietly.

Duke shrugged. "It can't hurt. Obviously she doesn't know your connection with the company, or she would have talked to you before Hawk. I'd like to get her input with the tracking device. If we could get her working collaboratively with the company, we might be able to really expand our lines."

She nodded, pulling out her cell phone. She glanced at the files she carried in her other hand, smiling as Duke extracted the one she was looking for.

They ducked into his office, just because it was closer, and she quickly glanced through the new female's file, memorizing her name and other details. Then, she dialed her cousin.

"Ian. I have a name for you to run through. I need to know what she has to do with MARS, including all connections…Yes…" Jaye glanced at the file one more time. "Chris Corele…She's one of our new recruits... Okay… I'll hear from you soon, then."

She hung up and looked at Duke. "He should be able to tell us everything before the day's over."

"So, she's a standout," Allie said to Duke, collapsing on one of the few chairs to fit in his office. "Any others? Hawk asked me, and I was too embarrassed to tell him I haven't really noticed, or had time to check them out."

Duke smiled, rubbing her shoulders. "We've been a little distracted lately. Wayne told me that they're doing pretty well. He hasn't scared any off yet, but he told me he's just getting started with them," he smirked.

"Mmm….you can keep that up for a little while," she joked, closing her eyes, enjoying the sensation of his warm hands massaging her shoulders. "Another thing your mom insisted on?"

"What's that?" he asked, distracted.

She smiled, her eyes still closed. "I figure a mom who requires dancing lessons would teach you just the right spot to help a woman relax."

She realized how it sounded, and turned red.

"I didn't mean…I…"

Duke gave a low laugh. "Al, don't worry about it. I know what you meant." He continued to rub her shoulders for a little while longer before finally dropping his hands. "You just looked tense, that's all."

Her face still felt heated, despite his reassurance. "Anyway," she said, desperate for a subject change, "who are you putting in charge of code names for the newbies?"

Duke had been assigned the role of training the new recruits through some of the more veteran Joes. He gave her an amused look before he replied. "Well, originally, I was going to assign it to Wayne, but I was afraid with what he'd come up with. Instead, they're earning their names, like Gadget. The garage coined that one. Gung Ho tagged the other female as "Gunrunner," or GR for short. Not sure if I like that one as much. The others still need work as well. They'll prove themselves…just not on the next mission, except for maybe Gadget. I don't think they're ready yet."

She nodded, agreeing. Even though it was just recon, it would still be dangerous since this new Cobra was still an enigma to them. These newbies still needed more training.

"Have you assigned teams yet?" he asked her.

She frowned, thinking. "We need to keep it small, maybe 3 or 4 at the most, if that many. We definitely don't want to attract attention, so we need people who will blend in. I wish Scarlett could go," she said, sighing.

Duke nodded, agreeing with her, but neither wanted to ask her. It was part of the conditions of her reenlistment that she wouldn't have to leave her kids.

"We'll need Gung Ho, Cover Girl, Dusty, Footloose…..I think that should be enough," she said thoughtfully, tapping her finger on his desk. "We'll meet, then split up into teams."

She gave a start as her cell phone buzzed. Ignoring Duke's soft laugh, she answered. "Ian. What did you…..okay…yeah….okay, that makes sense. Did you…uh huh….okay then. Yeah, I agree. We'll see what we can do on this end. I'll talk to her."

She looked over at Duke after the call. "Forgot I had it on vibrate," she admitted sheepishly. "So Ian tells me she has a good friend in R&D. Nice guy, I know him. Anyway, they've been talking about possible collaboration, and I think we can welcome that from both ends, with Hawk's blessing. I'd like to hear some of her ideas first hand, but it'll have to wait till after this."


	28. Chapter 28

"So, you two looked cozy," teased Cover Girl as she slid into the seat that Duke had just vacated in the transport.

Lady Jaye rolled her eyes. "Seriously. We were just going over mission specs. You going to say the same thing when Snake Eyes and I talk?"

"No. He's married."

She refrained from rolling her eyes again.

"I'm glad you're happy with Wayne, but that doesn't mean you have to match everyone else up," she muttered. "I'm perfectly fine with the way I am now. Men have proven nothing but trouble to me lately."

"Oh, I'm sure! I'm just teasing, Al," Cover Girl grinned. "Just trying to lighten the moment! Figured I'd distract you since I know how much you hate jumping out of planes at night."

Lady Jaye tried not to groan. She and Duke had thought it best to arrive in the dead of night, and they would be parachuting in, each team at their own location. MARS had equipped them with a cloaking device so they wouldn't be picked up by radar, masking their presence and heat signatures. The plane they were in was in public airspace, so it wouldn't be seen as suspicious.

She thought back to her conversation with the new recruit, Gadget. She seemed more than eager to work on a joint project with MARS. While Lady Jaye admired her enthusiasm, she wasn't so sure how feasible some of the ideas were, not to mention the cost. She hadn't mentioned her familial connection with MARS, but did mention she was very familiar with the company. She supposed the woman would learn soon enough.

She stared out the small window, blind to the view of the clouds. She mentally went through her checklist of objectives for the mission. She felt the hand on her shoulder, and smiled over at Dusty.

"You ready?" he asked her, nodding towards the doorway. The other Joes were packing up their gear, getting ready to take the plunge. She mentally blanched. It was one her least favorite things to do, but she didn't want to show any type of fear in front of the others. Only Courtney, Shana, and Flint knew how she felt about it, and that was three too many.

She smiled up at Dusty. "Sure. I was just going over things in my head first." She grabbed her pack, doing one last check.

Mentally, she saw the three areas of the map, not really so far apart….only by about 5-10 miles. The three teams would rendezvous at a predestined point, keeping in communication the entire time.

Plunging into the darkness, she mentally grimaced, but her face remained impassive, keeping Dusty, her partner, within sight.

They landed without a problem and quickly repacked their chutes. Pulling out the GPS unit, they discovered they weren't too far off their mark. Nodding silently to one another, they quickly disappeared into the jungle foliage.


	29. Chapter 29

The mission had taken a hellish turn.

Cover Girl and Gung Ho had signaled to the others that they had discovered the base. All three teams had met at the rendezvous point, but they had not been alone. How the Cobra scouts had found them, none of them really knew. All three teams were certain they had covered their tracks. In the scuffle, only Snake Eyes, Duke, and Lady Jaye were able to escape. Immediately, they set on a plan to rescue their captured comrades.

Where Snake Eyes had found explosives, she would never know, but the three of them decided to literally blow their teammates out of the base. It would be enough of a distraction that they would be able to escape. At least that was the plan.

The ninja was the one who was able to sneak into the base and locate exactly where the Joes were being held. Fortunately, they had been moved to a temporary holding cell, and were going to be able to escape easily…with help. After discussing it with the other two, Snake Eyes snuck back in to assist.

It was Duke's job to set the explosives. Lady Jaye would distract the guards to cover both Duke and Snake Eyes.

At first, she debated playing the helpless female, but thought it might look suspicious, a lone woman in the jungle. Instead, she decided to use the superstitions of this particular area to help her out. Using her javelins (never leave home without them! she thought), she was able to make the guards think that several of the local legends were sneaking up on them. With cries of "Chupacabra!" the guards abandoned their posts, spreading the news among the other locals who were hired by Cobra, who set up an alarm.

It was enough of a distraction….until the first explosion rocked the compound.

Instead of disabling the troops further, it seemed to snap them out of their fear.

Lady Jaye met Duke at their appointed place. "Where's Snake Eyes?" she yelled in all the confusion. He managed to shrug before the first shot was fired.

Ducking, they ran for cover. She managed to pick up her comm. link and hear Cover Girl's voice, telling her they were okay, but on the other side of the compound.

Great! she thought sarcastically, sharing a frustrated look with Duke.

"How the hell are we going to get over there?" he groused, before the second explosion hit.

He grabbed her, forcing her down to the ground, his body covering hers, as the chaos exploded around them. His mind was focused on the events around them, but he couldn't help but be aware of how her body felt under his.

She felt breathless. She knew part of it was the force with which her body had hit the ground. The other, well, she didn't want to admit how she was enjoying the feel of his hard body against hers. She had glimpsed this feeling when they had danced together at the steak house, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it. The last thing she needed right now was another relationship.

Where the hell had that thought come from? He was a friend and a colleague, she admonished herself. Now was not the time to be dwelling on it anyway!

He liked the feel of her under him - he was man enough to admit it. In another time, another place, he might have acted on it. He was tired of playing the nice guy and finishing last, just because he was afraid to take the next step. Silently, he vowed to see if he could take this further, but it would have to wait until the current crisis was over.

He released his grip on her body, rolling her to the side, now that the danger had passed. "Sorry," he murmured, not meaning it. He resisted the urge to pull her to him. Not now, he berated himself, focusing himself back on the mess they found themselves in.

She scooted closer to him. "How bad is it?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from the dust and dirt flying about.

"Pretty bad. I guess we found their base, huh?" he found himself joking.

"No shit, Sherlock," she replied, finding herself grinning back at him. "How the hell did we find ourselves here? I thought this was a no engagement!"

"I don't think Cobra got the memo," he muttered, his smile disappearing. "We're going to have to do something to get out of here! Try the comm. again."

She picked it up and tried to contact their separated comrades again.

"It's dead!" she said, disgusted, tossing it to the side. "Must've shorted out in the second explosion."

"I just hope they realize we're stuck in the middle of this," Duke muttered, pulling them down lower in the ditch, the gunfire flying right above their heads. "It'd be nice if they could give us a moment to get the hell out of the way!"

Lady Jaye was frustrated, but she knew they couldn't give up. With a practiced eye, she studied their current location. Duke had essentially thrown them both into a ditch once the explosion had occurred. The first explosion, meant to blow the wall where the others had been kept prisoner, had triggered others throughout the base.

"Guess they won't be using this base anymore," commented Duke wryly. "Not sure if this is how we wanted the mission to turn out. We're going to have to hunt the snakes down all over again!"

She felt a sharp pain in her arm, and glanced at her sleeve, surprised to see a small red stain. Duke noticed it before she could glance away and swore. "Let me see," he said in a no-nonsense voice.

"It's just a scratch," she told him, pulling away and examining it herself first. "Just stings, otherwise I wouldn't have noticed it." She had been caught by some of the flying debris from the second explosion, and it had cut her upper arm. Already the bleeding was slowing.

Duke knew she would downplay her injury, even it was serious, but he was relieved to see just a small gash.

"Okay," he breathed, "Let's try to get out of this mess."

Once again, she surveyed their surroundings and spotted something. Pulling on Duke's sleeve, she gestured to the left. "Where do you think this creek bed leads?"

He immediately understood. "Let's head in that direction, then."

Staying low, they crept along the dry bed, mindful of the dangers around them. They paused at a collapsed wall, realizing they could go no further. To climb over it would be putting them in direct fire from Cobra.

"We need one of those little white flags the cartoon characters wave so we can get out of here," muttered Duke.

"Bugs Bunny?"

He shook his head. "I was thinking more along the lines of Bullwinkle and Rocky."

She smiled. "Does that make me Natasha?"

"Only if I'm Boris," he quipped.

"How do you do that?" she asked him quietly after a moment.

"Do what?"

"Always seem to make me laugh, even in the middle of all this," she said with a gesture.

He shrugged.

Leaning forward, she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Thanks," she told him gratefully.

He liked the feel of her lips on him, even if it was just his cheek. "No problem," he told her, wanting to grab her and give her a real kiss. Whoa boy, he told himself, let's get out of this mess first before you start letting your libido making decisions.

She sensed him before she saw him, and turned, her knife she always kept in her boot at the ready. Duke was right behind her, gun in hand.

Breathing a sigh of relief at the familiar form of the ninja, she lowered the knife. He gestured his thanks.

"Where are the others?" asked Duke.

*We managed to circle around. They're not too far, drawing Cobra's fire so we can get you out of here. Ready to go?* he signed.

The two scrambled out of the creek bed after him, staying low, wary of any stray bullets.

They met up with their teammates and uncovered the jeep that one of Lady Jaye's contacts had left for them. It would take them to the airstrip, where they would catch a flight back with Wild Bill, who was supposed to be there waiting for them.

The rest of the mission was uneventful, and the team remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

On the flight back, Lady Jaye questioned the other team members.

"Were you able to see anyone in charge?" She hoped to get something out of this mission, other than eliminating another base off their map. She couldn't see them repairing the base and staying at a place that was known to the Joes.

Cover Girl shook her head. "They basically threw us into the cell. It wasn't too long after that Snake Eyes came along and you guys set off the explosions."

"One explosion," corrected Duke. "Whatever the hell they were storing there set off the chain reaction."

"Anyway," she continued with a shrug, "I wish I could say we were bringing back more information than what we came in with, but other than locating the base….."

They fell silent, disappointed at the failure of their simple recon mission.

Lady Jaye stared out the window, lost in thought. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Courtney sitting next to her.

"Hey, don't take it so hard. It was just one of those things," she said, shrugging. "We at least now know one of their locations. With the transmitter, we'll be able to find others, right?" she asked softly. "The signal's still strong, according to Breaker and Gadget, so it's not like he's aware of it."

Lady Jaye nodded, but didn't speak.

She patted her friend's shoulder, secretly grateful she didn't have the burden of being in command on a mission. She knew Lady Jaye had enough pressure on her right now. She covertly glanced over at Duke, who was talking to Dusty in low tones. Duke would be the one to talk to her, she thought, having been there before to take the fall when a plan fell awry.

She caught Snake Eye's look and jerked her head in Lady Jaye's direction, then nodded towards Duke. She could tell the ninja was following her train of thought when he smiled. He slid next to Duke, tapping him on the shoulder. A quick conversation was signed, and then Duke crossed over the aisle next to where Lady Jaye was sitting.

"Hey," he began, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We accomplished what we came to do," he reminded her.

Lady Jaye knew he was trying to help. She turned towards him. "Yeah, but I feel like we just got thrown back to square one."

He shrugged. "It happens. We knew we were going in half blind. At least now Cobra is aware that we are watching them. That could work to our advantage."

She thought about that for a moment. "I guess," she said, suddenly exhausted. She realized his hand was still on her shoulder. She had an insane urge to lean her head on his shoulder and just let him carry her burden for awhile.

Stupid, she berated herself. You're just tired and disappointed. You don't need a man to take care of you anymore, right?

He wanted to pull her to him, to let her lean against him and just rest. She looked exhausted, although he knew she fought hard to hide it. He could tell it, he always could, just around her eyes. They would lose the sparkle and have a dull sheen to them, like they did now.

"We'll be home in a few hours," he told her. "Why don't you just relax until then? I think we're all going to do the same," he said, nodding at the others, who were leaning back against their seats, some with their eyes closed.

She gave him a tired smile, but turned to stare back out the window again. He repressed a sigh. Sometimes she was just too stubborn. He stared at her profile, realizing how much he'd like to strip away that barrier she put up between herself and others. A barrier she had created after Flint had left her, he realized.

He'd just have to find a way to get around it, he decided, before leaning back and resting his own eyes.


	30. Chapter 30

After reporting to Hawk, Duke and Lady Jaye slowly walked through the hallway to her office. They needed to discuss a few more details before retiring for the night.

"So, what's the next step?" he asked her as he shut the door behind them. She was perched on the corner of her desk, holding a file in her hand. "Should we be aggressive and see where the tracker takes us next, or do a wait and see?"

She rubbed her head, feeling the beginnings of a headache. "Not sure. I'd like to keep Gadget and Breaker on the tracker, and Gadget said she could cross reference several of the areas Xamot keeps revisiting. Tomorrow will be soon enough to look at the report," she decided.

"Allie," began Duke, pausing. "I've been wanting to tell you something," he told her, taking the file out of her hand and placing it on her desk.

She looked up at him, not sure if she wanted to hear it. He was so close, she realized, closer than he normally got.

He prayed for the strength to get him through this. If he had been misreading her signals, then he would be making a fool out of himself.

"Allie," he began again, taking her hand. "I know you've been through a lot lately and I just wanted to tell you…..you've done a really good job since you've taken on the leadership role here," he finished lamely, chickening out.

Somehow, she knew that wasn't what he meant to say. She was afraid she did know, and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. They had been playing around something lately, especially since their night out. She forced herself to sit still.

He rubbed the back of his head, nervous. "We've been working pretty closely lately. I mean, we've always been close before, as friends, but I was wondering if you…." he might as well go ahead and put it out there, he thought. The worst she could do was say no…or laugh at him. "If you would want to go out with me sometime," he finished in a rush, feeling like a 16 year old.

She smiled. She couldn't help it. "On a date?" she asked, surprised. She had been expecting him to be a little more aggressive, like suggesting they go back to her room. But then again, she reasoned, this was Duke. He was a nice guy, a gentleman.

"Well, yeah," he said, giving her a nervous smile. "I mean, I know it's kind of old fashioned, and we've known each other for years, but…."

"I'd love to," she interrupted quietly.

He walked her back to her room. The base was quiet at this time of night and they didn't meet anyone in the hallways. She smiled to herself as he kept touching her, whether it was to hold her hand, rub her shoulder, or have his hand on her back.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked, her voice husky, when they reached her door. She figured with the physical contact, it was leading up to this. She couldn't believe she was actually nervous.

He smiled, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Not tonight. However, I would like to take you out somewhere tomorrow."

He noticed her surprised look and chuckled. "While I would like to come in, I have a different plan for us. I want us to explore this new…..relationship….one step at a time." He knew she was used to more aggressive men, men who would have gone into her room and had her on her back already. He wanted to romance her, to actually date her. It hadn't been a line - he felt she deserved that.

"So," he continued, leaning against the wall next to her door. "I thought you might want to see that movie that just came out. We could do dinner beforehand, if you want."

She nodded, smiling. "Why do I feel like I'm back in high school?" she laughed.

He grinned. "I have to admit," he said, "I'm feeling like that, too. I'm looking forward to it, though."

"Me too," she agreed. "It's been a long time since I've been on a real date." She glanced at her watch. "Well, looks like I'd better get in before curfew," she teased. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She leaned over and gave him a soft, quick kiss on the cheek before turning and going into her room, shutting the door firmly behind her.

He stood there for a moment, grinning like an idiot, before he pulled himself together. Whistling, he turned and walked down the hallway, heading for his own room.

Allie leaned up against the door, pressing her fingers to her lips. What was she getting herself into? she wondered, the first niggling doubts besieging her. Conrad had been a good friend for a long time. Was she interested in him because he was the nice guy, or was it because she felt she needed someone?

She had told the truth. She was excited about his plan to date first. For once, she had met a guy who hadn't wanted to jump into bed with her first, then romance her later - if even then. She frowned. Since when had she doubted herself? It was a little strange to have romantic feelings for a good friend, she knew, feeling like one of the characters in Courtney's movies. She had always been attracted to Conrad, but had never thought to act on it. She had never thought him interested before, not to mention she hadn't wanted to mess with their friendship.

Shrugging, she put her doubts to rest for now. She needed rest for her mind as well as body if she was to be in top form tomorrow. Sighing, she got ready for bed, cursing her past that made her doubt her own emotions way too much.


End file.
